Kain
by Weiila
Summary: The game from Kain's view, his time as Golbez' slave and handling his emotional troubles. A couple of normal love pairings and one maybe not so normal... The final chapters uploaded! Will Kain get over his pain and losses?
1. It has to begin somewhere, you know

    Here we go, Final Fantasy IV, from Kain's tired view! I take the freedom of changing the talking slightly, since most of us have played the game and know the lines already. I'm not into copying (and I don't feel like playing it through just concentrating on writing down the exact words :p It could spoil the game feeling for me. What did you say about egocentric?!).  

Kain

~*~Chapter 1 Being Kain, Cecil's best friend~*~

 "Hey, Kain!" 

    There was the sound of someone hurrying down a stair, and man wearing big glasses and clothes stained with oil ran out of the open door. 

 "You should take it easier, Cid," Kain smiled, "you're no youth, as your wise daughter says."

 "Bah, she talks too much!" the chief mechanic snorted. 

 "Why are you in such a hurry?"

 "Is Cecil back yet?" Cid asked, "I feel like talking to that boy; he's seemed a bit down lately."

 "The troop should come back from Mysidia any moment." 

 "Great…" 

    Muttering, Cid went back upstairs, to watch the sky from the castle wall. Kain gazed after him, then shook his head and started walking again. He was aiming for the door into the main building. But another call made him stand still. 

 "Kain!" 

    Rosa hurried over to him, with her white cloak dancing over her back, the shiny, blond hair flying as she ran, looking like a river of gold flooding from her head. Kain froze. She stopped in front of him, breathing deeply because of the run. 

 "What is it, Rosa?" the dragoon asked, hoping that his voice was steady. 

 "Is Cecil back yet?" she asked. 

    She didn't know that her words cut like hot daggers in Kain's heart. 

 "No," he said.  

    He didn't dare say something more, he was sure his pain would show. 

 "I wanted to talk to him," Rosa sighed, "this whole Mysidia thing makes me concerned…" 

    He wanted to wrap his arms around her, kiss her hair and say that everything was fine, but she hadn't come to talk to him. How he wished that she had come running with only _his name upon her soft lips! But just as Cid, she didn't want to speak with him; she wanted to talk to his best friend. _

 "It'll be alright." he forced himself to say. 

 "I guess…" Rosa said.

    She looked up and smiled warmly. 

 "Thank you anyway, Kain."

    She turned and walked away again. 

    Kain watched her until she disappeared behind the main building's corner. She always smiled so warmly at him. She smiled differently at Cecil. The dragoon wished that it could have been the other way around. 

    He stood there, in deep, sad thoughts, for a moment. Then he shuddered and went inside. 

 "Sir Kain, Sir Cecil has returned!" 

    He stood up and nodded at the maid, with a small smile. 

 "Thank you." 

    It felt much better when Cecil was in the castle. As long as they were close to each other, Kain knew that he really couldn't feel jealous. He felt guilty for keeping that dark, childish feeling inside his heart, but he couldn't help it. Kain loved Rosa, he had to admit that. But she loved Cecil… 

    He went up the stairs and into the small, unguarded room one had to pass to reach the throne-room, but stopped with his hand on the handle. There were upset voices to be heard from inside the big room. 

 "You are now relieved from your post!" 

    It was the king of Baron. Kain felt a coldness wrap itself around his heart. What the…?

 "But Your Majesty!" Cecil's shocked voice called. 

 "Your new mission is to take care of the monsters sighted around the village of Mist in the north!" the king growled, "you may leave!"

    Kain threw the door open and rushed in. 

 "Wait!" he yelled, "my liege, I'm sure that Cecil didn't…" 

    The king gave him such a cold gaze that he almost dropped dead. He had never seen the king look like that, so cruel, so scornful… 

 "Well, Kain," the king said, "if you're so worried about your friend, you may go with him!" 

    The whole world seemed to turn inside out, and judging from Cecil's eyes, he felt the same. 

 "But…!" Kain stuttered. 

 "And take this with you!" the king snarled and threw Cecil a package. 

 "Yes, my liege…" the dark knight whispered and bowed. 

    In despite of other options, Kain did the same. The two men left the room. 

 "Sorry for dragging you into this mess…" Cecil mumbled as they were standing in the main corridor. 

    Kain put his hand on the dark knight's armored shoulder and shook his head. 

 "No," he said, "you're my friend, I couldn't let you go on such a journey alone. I'll make some preparations, you just rest after your trip to Mysidia." 

 "Alright… thank you, Kain." 

    Cecil really seemed down. Kain watched him walk away, concerned. The dragoon's friend walked like his feet weighed a ton each, he looked very depressed even from behind. Had something happened in Mysidia that had made Cecil like that, or was it because of what had happened in the throne-room? 

    Kain went over to the table where a couple of soldiers were sitting, and heavily placed himself on a chair. The wood squeaked; he had forgot his armor. He gave a silent, relieved sigh as the chair didn't break. 

 "Better be careful, Sir!" one of the soldiers chuckled, "furniture is put on the payment-list!"

 "Yeah, I know." Kain said and managed to smile. 

 "Kain!"

    Rosa… 

 "Where did Cecil go?" she asked, once more slowing down close to him. 

 "We're sent to Mist to hunt monsters…" Kain said, suddenly completely blank.

 "What?" she gasped, "why? Where is he?!" 

    Kain pointed in the direction in which Cecil had left. Rosa hurried off again. 

 "Damn!" the dragoon snarled as she went out of sight. 

    His fist made the whole table shake. The soldiers looked at him, concerned. 

 "Excuse me, Sir," the second one of them said, "but why would you…" 

 "I don't know," Kain sighed, "the king was furious because of something Cecil had said or done, and I tried to defend him… then we were both sent to Mist, just like that." 

 "I'm sure that you'll get your titles and reputation back as soon as you've fulfilled your mission." the first soldier said, encouraging. 

 "Thank you." Kain managed to smile a bit. 


	2. Mist

~*~Chapter 2 Two times treachery~*~

 "I don't understand…" Cecil sighed, taking of his horned helmet and stroking his wet fringe away from his eyes, "I only tried to ask why we had to kill those innocent people in Mysidia, and His Majesty sends both you and me away from Baron… I'm sorry, Kain." 

    The mist was creeping inside of his armor, and he was already warm and sweaty after several fights with monsters. Kain wasn't feeling very good at the moment. 

 "It's OK," he said, trying not to grumble, "you're my friend…" 

 "Go back!"

 "What?"

    It had been a strange voice, echoing in the misty cave. The clouds made it almost impossible to see, and combined with the darkness since the torches wasn't very dry… 

 "Who's there?" Cecil called. 

    No answer. Kain and his friend exchanged glances, and went on, determined. They had been degraded once this week, it had to be enough. They felt they didn't have any choice but to continue to Mist and help out with the monsters. 

    But they hadn't walked many yards before the voice was heard again: 

 "Go back! Return to Baron!" 

 "Who are you? Show yourself!" Kain called. 

    Once more, there was nothing but silence. They continued, now seeing a light ahead. It could only be the exit of the cave. 

 "For the last time, go back!" the voice called, closer this time. 

 "We can't do that!" Cecil called back, "who are you?" 

 "You have no intention to back off, then?" the voice asked. 

 "No, I'm sorry, but…" 

 "Then I have no choice." 

    The mist started to thicken. 

 "It's a dragon!" Kain yelled. 

    White and glistening, a part of the mist… 

    Cecil drew his dark sword. Its edge was so dark that it almost shone in the white air. Kain reached for his heavy spear.

    The dragon opened its mouth and blew. The hard wind threw the two warriors against the cave walls, almost knocking them out. Cecil dropped his sword, and the dragon rushed forward.

 "Cecil, look out!" Kain exclaimed and jumped. 

    Despite his armor, he almost reached the ceiling of the big cave. That was the strength of a dragoon; the fantastic ability to jump. The air was _his element, while everyone else was stuck on the ground. Kain felt free for the brief moment he floated up there, all his problems were forgotten for a short while. He didn't think of Rosa, he forgot his jealousy and his concern over this strange mission. Then the gravity got a grip of him, and he fell, pointing his spear downwards. The white dragon roared in pain as the spear hit its back. Before it had time to regaining its guard, Cecil had stabbed his sword into the pure chest. With a ceasing snarl, the beast dissolved into thin air. _

 "Are you alright, Kain?" Cecil asked. 

 "Yes. And you?"    

 "Fine. Let's go."

    They went out of the misty cave with great relief and hurried towards the nearby village. But as they passed the first house, there was suddenly a strange, buzzing sound. 

 "What the…!" Cecil exclaimed and threw his backpack on the ground. 

    The bag opened, and out of it fell the package he'd received from the king of Baron. It glowed strangely, and then, suddenly, it erupted. Flames flew in all directions, consuming the houses in a few seconds. There was a few, shocked screams from the buildings, but the fire-magic killed instantly. Then the world became silent. 

 "We were sent to… burn the village?!" Kain whispered. 

    Cecil didn't utter a word. He just stared at the ash that had once been the package. Then he suddenly looked up and started walking, faster and faster. Kain followed him. 

    There was a loud sob. Cecil ran past one of the burned buildings and stopped, staring at something. Kain hurried to his side and saw a small, green-haired girl kneeling by a life-less woman. The adult was apparently dead, her face twisted in agony.

 "Oh, no…" Cecil whispered and started approaching the girl. 

    She looked up as she heard the steps, with tears and anger in her young eyes. 

 "You!" she exclaimed, shivering, and got to her feet, "you killed mommy's esper! You killed her!" 

 "Oh, no…" Cecil whispered again. 

    Kain also understood, now. The dragon they had killed in the cave had been the summoned monster of the dead woman, and killing an esper was the same as killing the one who conjured the beast. 

 "What shall we do, Cecil?" Kain said, "that girl, we can't let…"

    But he didn't want to say it, he didn't want to be the one to even consider the order. And neither did Cecil. 

 "No!" he yelled, "I'm done with killing innocent, I won't do it anymore! Never again!"

    Kain nodded slowly. 

 "I knew you'd say that," the dragoon said, "and I will come with you if you leave Baron."

    There was no place for worries, he was completely sure. Being fooled to do something so despicable, fooled by the one who had more or less raised him… Kain found hatred against king Baron burning inside of his heart. 

 "But the girl…" he pointed out. 

 "We'll have to bring her along," Cecil said, "its not safe here."

 "No!" the girl screamed, "don't come near me! I hate you, I hate you all!!" 

    She put her hands together, closed her eyes and started mumbling. Several green, half invisible orbs containing a flame materialized around her, giving away her plans and powers.  

 "Damn it, she's a summoner!" Kain shouted, "Cecil…!" 

    A muscled giant formed in front of the girl, and before Kain was able to move, an enormous fist had hit the ground. The whole village shook, there was a crack in the grass…

    Kain heard both the girl and Cecil scream, then everything became black.  


	3. Fiends

~*~Chapter 3 Valvalis~*~

He awoke, and wished he hadn't done so. His head felt like it was filled with bees, and his body ached all over. It was cold, and dark. In fact, he began to realize with growing surprise and panic, he was inside a cell, hanging by the wall in his chained wrists. Both his armor and spear were gone, he only wore a simple, stiff cloth; a prisoner's clothing. The only light came from a smoking torch; the smell dried his throat. Kain was thirsty and confused. What had happened? That earthquake in Mist… then what? Where was Cecil? 

 'And were am I?' Kain thought. 

    By instinct, he tried to break free from the chains, but since his feet didn't touch the floor, he had no strength. 

    Suddenly the door opened, and closed behind a man in red, luxurious robes. 

 "My liege?" Kain gasped with broken voice. 

 "And my traitor," the king snorted, "I hear you and Cecil was going to leave me behind, eh?"  

 "How did you… where is Cecil?" Kain whispered. 

    His throat was so dry that he hardly could breath. 

 "Cecil?" the king repeated, "he'll be here soon. I sent some troops to fetch both him and that last summoner. They will be brought here, so that I can dispose of them." 

 "You what?!" 

    King Baron sneered.  

 "We can't have traitors like him walking around freely, can we? And speaking of traitors, the fair Rosa seem to have left, too." 

 "Rosa…?" Kain croaked. 

    The king smiled coldly. 

 "Yes, Rosa. The one with the white cloak, remember? Don't worry about her, you'll be together as sad, wandering spirits. Or in Hell, that's another option, of course." 

 "Your Majesty, why!?" Kain tried to scream, but it became only a whisper. 

    The king started to laugh, and he began to change. His crown, hair and clothes disappeared, his skin became blue, and he got a turtle-shell. The teeth in his mouth grew to white spikes, shown in an evil smile. Kain stared at the monster, his lips becoming numb. He couldn't even speak. 

 "Yes," the monster sneered, "I am not the king of Baron. Our names actually starts the same, my friend; I am Kainazzo, fiend of Water." 

 "The king…?" the captured dragoon stuttered. 

 "Dead, I'm afraid. Pity… I had to kill him instantly, when I really wanted to do it in my favorite way. But you, on the other hand, you're different. Nobody will hear you scream." 

    Suddenly, water began flooding from Kainazzo's feet. In only a few moments, the liquid had reached Kain's ankles, steadily rising. 

 "People should drown more often," Kainazzo sneered as Kain desperately tried to tear himself free from the chains, "it's healthy, really. And such a lovely sight." 

    The water reached his chest by now, his throat, his face…

 "Stop!" 

    It was a woman's voice. A sudden wind blew the water aside, and Kain took a violent breath. Kainazzo angrily turned his head as his water returned to him; he looked at nothing at all, just an empty wall. 

 "What do you want, Valvalis?" he snorted. 

 "I have talked with Golbez," the woman's voice said, "he allowed me to take care of this." 

 "That's not fair!" 

 "Then go to Golbez and complain, whiner!" 

    Grumbling, Kainazzo turned back into the false king of Baron. 

 "You might wish you had drowned." he sneered and left the cell. 

    Kain still gulped for air. 

 "Who are you…?" he finally managed to whisper, unsure if he really wanted to know. 

 "Valvalis, fiend of the Air."

    What materialized in the middle of the room was the most beautiful woman Kain had ever seen. She wore a tight, white dress, and her blond hair was as long as she was tall. She looked strangely at him. 

 "This is my true form," she said, "that was what you thought, wasn't it?"

    Kain didn't answer. She was a fiend, she was going to kill him. Why talk? 

    She looked so thoughtful.

 "You're soaking wet," she said, "you'll catch a cold down here." 

 "Excuse me?"

    She raised a hand and pointed upwards. A warm wind began to blow around Kain, drying his simple clothes and skin. Valvalis moved closer. 

 "What do you want?" Kain whispered. 

    Funny, he had been about to drown, but his throat was still dry as a desert. Valvalis once more raised her hand, and suddenly held a cup filled with some liquid. She put it by Kain's cracked lips. 

 "Here, drink this. You'll feel better." she said. 

    It was a healing potion, he could smell that. 

 "What…? You want to kill me healthy?" Kain muttered, with as much sarcasm he could manage. 

 "I'm not going to kill you," she said. 

 "What?"

 "Now drink this. Don't be so foolishly proud." 

    Kain wasn't really sure if he drank the potion of his own will, or if the fiend used her powers to make him, but anyhow he emptied the cup. The clean liquid filled him with a soft, warm feeling, and the pain in his legs and head ceased a bit. 

    Valvalis still watched him in a strange way. She made the cup dissolve and raised her hands to touch his face. Her fingertips sent lightning of pain through the dragoon's head, and he couldn't fight back a groan. 

 "You've got some bad wounds here…" Valvalis said, frowning, "summer breeze that soothes, ease the pain…" 

    Kain's skin felt wonderfully warm for a moment, and once more his pain drew back a little. 

 "Much better," the fiend of air said. 

    She touched his hair, as if she was confused. Like she'd never seen a bound man before. She made Kain very nervous, and still… she touched his face and hair in the way he'd always wished Rosa would do. 

 "I scare you, don't I?" Valvalis said, without taking her hands away from Kain's head. 

 "What do you want?" he said once more. 

    She didn't answer at first. Then she spoke: 

 "I kept an eye on you and your friend, making sure that you really went to Mist. Golbez didn't want to see any mistakes." 

 "Who the Hell is Golbez?" 

 "My king," Valvalis answered, with a small smile on the brink of a sneer, "not my master, but I obey him at the moment." 

    The smile disappeared, and she looked strangely confused again. 

 "I watched you fight," she said, "and I saw you jump… you're a warrior of the air, just like me."

 "And you work with someone who want to kill me, my best friend and… and Rosa!" Kain exclaimed, turning his head away in anger. 

    Valvalis' eyebrows went up. 

 "You think a lot of that white mage Rosa," she pointed out. 

 "Stay away from my thoughts!"

 "Alright, if you want me to." 

    Kain stared at her. She shook her head. 

 "But you know the truth," she said, "and even though you don't want to, you're jealous. You feel anger towards the one you call your best friend." 

 "So that's what you want?" Kain growled, "you think that you can use my feelings to make me work for that damn Golbez? No, call your turtle-friend here, I'd rather drown!" 

    Valvalis startled, as if he'd hit her. They stared at each other. 

 "That's not what I meant," Valvalis finally said, "but you'll work for Golbez whether you like it or not." 

 "Never!" 

 "What you want is not of the matter," the fiend of Air snarled, "you will do as Golbez says, believe me. And you should be grateful I saved your life."

 "I'm not grateful for becoming some kind of slave!" Kain exclaimed, "why did you even care, you're a monster!" 

    The last word hung in the air, making it thicker than the smoking torch ever could do. 

 "Do I look like a monster?" Valvalis said, cold as ice, "do I have fangs and scales? Am I hideous?" 

 "No, your beauty is stunning," Kain snarled, "but you're a fiend, and you work with monsters that want to destroy my life and kill my friends!" 

    There was another silence when they stared at each other again.

 "I am an elemental fiend," Valvalis said, coldly, "but I haven't said anything about killing your friends or harming you, have I?" 

 "But _your friends will, won't they?" Kain accused. _

    Her nails cut into his cheeks. 

 "I save your life and this is your way of gratefulness?!" Valvalis growled as he tried to break free from her grip, "you! I thought you was different than the others because you were an air-fighter, I guess I'll never learn!" 

 "Why… did you… care?" Kain croaked. 

 "You're such an idiot." 

    His head hit the wall behind him, making him see dancing stars. 

 "Lightni…!" Valvalis exclaimed. 

    But she never finished the command. Kain gulped for air, trying to pull himself together. 

 "So how much power will you waste…?" he snarled, "will you have me raw or well done?" 

    No answer. He looked up. She seemed so strangely confused again. 

 "What is it now, then?" Kain growled. 

    She was silent for a moment. Then she pointed at him. 

 "Summer breeze..." 

    The world stopped spinning. Kain looked at her, and she watched him. 

 'What does she want?' the dragoon thought, confused, 'why doesn't she kill me?' 

 "You look so helpless." Valvalis suddenly said, as if she was thinking aloud. 

 "It's because I'm hanging here like a damn dead chicken!" Kain snarled. 

 "I've almost forgot how fear felt…" 

    Kain turned his head away, furious.  

 "Then you've really forgot humanity!" he growled. 

 "That is true, at least I thought so." Valvalis said, not angry this time. 

    Her fingers touched his face again. 

 "Why do you do that?" Kain snarled. 

 "It was almost impossible to talk Golbez into not killing you," she said, "but I had to… you remind me of something…" 

 "Now, now, Valvalis," a man's voice said, "let's not get too personally involved." 

 "Good afternoon, Golbez," the fiend said without turning around. 


	4. Golbez

~*~Chapter 4 Golbez' minion~*~

Behind Valvalis, from out of nowhere, a man wearing a dark armor with a horned helmet and a black cloak entered.

 "Is that the reason you wanted me to spare him?" the man asked, scornfully, "you thought that he was cute?" 

 "I considered his strength and abilities to attack his enemies from above as good reasons to keep him alive." Valvalis said, coldly. 

 "Of course, my dear. Now step aside." 

    Valvalis moved, and Kain found himself under a judging gaze. 

 "So you're Golbez, then?" the dragoon snarled. 

 "Indeed. And your name is Kain, a good friend of this Cecil that everyone in Baron seem so proud of."

 "I suppose I cannot deny it." 

 "No, you can't." 

    Golbez sneered. 

 "Now then, let's turn you into my faithful servant, shall we?" he said and raised his hands. 

    Kain screamed in pain as his head began to burn from the inside. 

 'I can't let…' he thought, desperately trying to fight Golbez back, 'Cecil is my friend, I'm a dragoon… I love Rosa, she loves Cecil… he is my friend… I am a dragoon… I love… Rosa… Cecil is my… I am… I am… I love Rosa… I am… I am a dra… Cecil, I… he is my… he is… he… ' 

 "You're quite a challenge, I give." Golbez admitted and clenched his fists. 

    Valvalis just stood there, silent, as Kain roared and tried to tear off the chains, twisting like a wounded animal. 

 'I am… I am… Kain… Cecil is my… Rosa don't… they are my… I am a… I am… I… I hate them… Cecil is my enemy… my name is Kain, I am a dragoon, and I hate Cecil!' 

    His heart burned with rage at the memory of the man in the dark armor, who had the love Kain wanted more than anything else, and not even seemed to appreciate it. He hated Rosa for loving Cecil, and he wished most of all to take his spear and stab it through the Dark knight's chest. And he knew that Golbez gladly would help him, if he only obeyed. 

 "Let him down, Valvalis," the man dressed in black said with a triumphantly sneer. 

    She pointed at the chains, and Kain landed on the ground. He stood up for a moment, then he sat down on one knee before Golbez. 

 "I will follow only your commands, my liege," the dragoon said. 

 "Good man," Golbez sneered, "firstly you should get equipped. Valvalis, bring him to the room where they dumped his armor and weapon."

 "As you wish."   

    Golbez disappeared into thin air, and Valvalis put her hand on Kain's shoulder, making him stand up. 

 "Come on," she said without any expression in her voice, "I'll bring you to the armory." 

    They walked out of the cell and through a dark corridor. Kain hardly thought about the path, his mind and heart were so filled with rage that he could hardly think. 

 "Just give me one chance," he growled, thinking aloud, "I'll teach you my misery and pain, Cecil!" 

    Valvalis said nothing. Kain didn't notice that she watched him, frowning. 

    They left the corridor and entered Baron castle. The many guards they passed had very empty eyes, as if they really weren't alive. But Kain didn't think about it. He didn't care. 

    Valvalis opened the door to the armory. 

 "Which one was yours?" she said, thoughtful. 

 "There." Kain said and pointed, without even really looking. 

 "Ah, yes. And your spear too." 

    Valvalis nodded and said: 

 "Why don't you rest some and change to something more appropriate before you put the armor on?"  

 "I don't need to rest," Kain growled, "I am ready to fight, and that's that!" 

 "Good boy," a familiar voice said. 

    Kain somehow felt he should feel nervous hearing that voice, but he couldn't remember why, and didn't turn around. 

 "He really is a strong fighter, Valvalis," the voice continued, "maybe you were right." 

 "I knew I was right, Kainazzo!" the fiend of Air snapped. 

 "Touchy about being turned down, eh?" 

 "Would you care for a few lightning bolts or a full storm?" Valvalis snarled, raising one hand. 

    There was the sound of a pair of feet hurrying backwards. 

 "Much better. Now go away," Valvalis growled. 

    The voice muttered angrily, more and more distant. 

 "Idiot…" Valvalis mumbled. 

    Kain didn't care what that had been all about. He went over to his equipment, which all lay on a table, and checked it over. Not a single scratch on the armor. He grabbed his spear and weighed it in his hands, smiling over the familiar, trustworthy grip. Valvalis walked over to his side. 

 "Just out of curiosity," she said, "since you can't use magic, how do you manage to jump so high wearing that armor?" 

 "It's only a matter of the power of a dragoon," Kain said, bored. 

 "I see…"

 'Why is this?' she thought, confused, 'I thought I would like him better when we were on the same side… but suddenly, he's completely different. And why does his spear and armor seem so familiar…?'

 'Feelings, Valvalis?' a cold voice said inside of her head, sending an arrow through her mind, 'what is this?' 

 'I suppose that the last grain of my humanity makes one last, desperate move, master Zemus,' she thought, 'I beg you to forgive me this. It will not happen again.' 

 'Better not,' her master said, 'if you were a lesser minion I would take care of you immediately. This disgrace is most irritating. I will have to consider to once more bring you here to me for a while.'

 'No, master!' Valvalis thought, in sudden fear, 'please, I swear that I will not allow my human part to cause any more kind of trouble!' 

 'I will consider it.' 

    Valvalis shuddered as Zemus' mind left her. 

 "Are you alright?"

    She looked up in surprise. 

 "W-what?" she stuttered. 

 "I asked you if you are alright," Kain said. 

    In his eyes, there was suddenly a shadow of the man he had been only half an hour ago. Maybe Golbez hadn't secured his grip of the dragoon properly…

 "I'm fine!" Valvalis snapped, "mind your own business!" 

 "Fine!" he growled, his eyes turning cold. 

    Valvalis furiously left the room, teleporting herself to the roof of one of the castle's towers. It was easier to think up there, with the wind blowing, making her hair fly behind her. 

 'I was there once,' she thought with a mixture of fear and anger, 'I will do whatever my master tells me to… I will not be caught in those clutches again!'     


	5. Imprisonment

~*~Chapter 5 Hurting friends~*~

About two weeks passed, but Kain hardly recognized it. He didn't think much, he just existed. He didn't see Valvalis again, either. Then suddenly one day, Golbez turned up again. 

    Kain was standing on the castle wall, watching the distant mountains without even a trace of emotion or thought. Then he heard the sound of footsteps. He turned around and sat down on one knee, his armor clinking. 

 "My liege, what do you ask of me?" he said. 

 "You will come with me and the Red wings," Golbez sneered, "we're going to Fabul, and I believe it's time that you prove to me that your life was no waste of my time."

    And so, Kain and some soldiers boarded several of the fleet's airships, setting course for the land of the karate-masters. There were loads of monsters on the ships too, but the dragoon didn't wonder why. He didn't even consider that monsters aboard was a little strange. 

    After the not too long flight, the ships landed close to the big castle. By Golbez' command, the monsters stood up in lines and attacked. There were only three men standing outside of the castle gate, but they resisted attack after attack before they finally retreated into the building, followed by the monsters. 

 "Tell me," Golbez said to Kain as they walked towards the trashed gate, "did you find something familiar about any of those three men by the door?" 

 "No, my liege." Kain answered. 

 "Ah, I see. You were too far away, of course. The one in the middle was your old friend Cecil."

 "Cecil?!" Kain exclaimed in rage and reached for his spear. 

 "Yes," Golbez sneered, "he has helped the blasted summoner-girl to escape, and he's starting to irritate me." 

 "My liege," Kain growled, "I ask of you to allow me the honor…!"

 "I will, my minion." 

    They walked into the castle, passed a lot of trashed furniture and reached the throne-room. Without any hesitating, Golbez pointed at a door to the left. There were sounds of a fight coming from inside. Kain nodded, and went inside of the door, just when a man of Fabul helped a young man with golden hair to his feet again. 

 "Kain?" a familiar voice stuttered. 

    The dragoon looked darkly at the man in the dark armor. Cecil looked just the same as always, holding yet another black sword.

 "Kain?" he said again, "is that really you?"

 "Indeed, it is I, Cecil."

 "I thought you were dead! I'm so glad you're alive! Let's fight together again…"

 "Yes," Kain growled and grabbed his spear, "we will fight, but not in the way you think!" 

    And he jumped. 

    Shocked, Cecil raised his sword trying to parry the attack, but he should know it was impossible. He screamed the dragoon's name, but Kain ignored it. 

    The controlled warrior's weight brought Cecil down, the spear penetrated the knight's armor by the shoulder. 

    Somebody screamed, and it wasn't only the Cecil. Kain pulled out his weapon and drew back, his head burning. 

 "Kain! What are you doing!?" 

    Rosa… she and a green-haired girl who seemed familiar came running, and the woman in the white cloak kneeled by Cecil's side, staring at his wounds. 

 "Kain," she stuttered, "what are you doing? Have you forgotten who you are?" 

 "Don't… look at me…!" Kain snarled and turned away. 

    His head was about to break… then Golbez entered, and the pain ceased. 

 "I see I'll have to work a little on you, Kain," he snorted. 

 "Who are you…?" Cecil muttered, gritting his teeth in pain. 

 "I am Golbez," the man dressed in dark said with a scornful bow, "and you are Cecil… your deeds are already notable, so I am afraid I'll have to…"

 "Don't you dare to touch him!" Rosa yelled and stood up, raising her empty hands. 

    Golbez sneered. 

 "Such a brave girl…" he said, "big words from somebody who doesn't know a single attack spell. You'll need to study a bit more, woman, before you fight me. Kain, get the crystal for me."

 "Yes, my liege." 

    He went up the stair, towards the glistening crystal.

 "Kain, don't!" Rosa screamed and took a step forward. 

    Her voice was so painful… it hurt his head, it sent agony through his soul… 

    But he reached out and grabbed the crystal. 

 "Rosa, don't try to…" Cecil croaked. 

    Golbez looked at the fallen dark knight and the white magician, thoughtful. 

 "I see," he said, sneering, "this woman is dear to you."   

    Fear rose in Cecil's eyes; somehow he knew the continued sentence. 

 "Then I'll take her with me, to make sure that you don't cause me more trouble," Golbez said. 

    He reached out and grabbed Rosa's arm. Kain wanted to scream, but he wasn't sure why. The woman with the white cloak tried to break free, then she suddenly became rigid for a moment. After that, she lowered her head, as if she stood up sleeping. 

 "That's it, come with me…" Golbez sneered. 

    Staggering, Rosa followed him as he went out of the door, and Kain walked after them without a word. He heard Cecil call something in pitch-black despair, then the world somehow turned to dust. 

The next thing Kain knew, he was inside of a big room with light walls, which blinked eerily at some parts. Golbez was also there, somewhere behind him. And Rosa too, with fear in her otherwise warm, gentle eyes. 

 'I am in the Tower of Zot,' he thought, 'and I am going to do this properly.'

    Rosa clenched her teeth as he pulled the ropes, tightening her bounds. She was tied onto a pole by the wall, and there was something dark a few feet above her head. Kain experienced a short hunch telling him he didn't want that thing to be there; it was dangerous to her… but who cared? 

 "Still not perfect, Kain," Golbez snorted, "you're constantly trying to break free."

 "I am sorry, my liege." 

 "Surely… now, there is some news, and I will tell you this aloud since I want our lovely guest to hear it too." 

    Kain stepped away from Rosa. Surprisingly enough she didn't seem scared anymore, only angry. Her eyes were filled with loathing. 

 "So that's it?" she snarled to Golbez, "you _control Kain!" _

 "Of course I do, my dear." the evil one sneered. 

    He cleared his throat, scornfully. 

 "Now then, it seems as in the past few days that you've both been sleeping a bit, Cecil was on a journey to Baron, hoping to find you or an airship… well, sadly, his boat sank." 

 "What?! No!" Rosa cried. 

 "Alas, that is true. However, he survived, as well as his friend Yang, who is also my faithful servant now. He is in Baron, just in case something truly unexpected should occur. I'm afraid that the young king Edward and the small, poor Rydia drowned, though."  

 "Yang, Edward… Rydia…" Rosa whispered, "you monster! Where is Cecil?!" 

 "In a most surprising place; Mysidia." 

 "What?" Kain and Rosa gasped in unison. 

    Golbez sneered. 

 "Indeed."

 "No, my king, he has left," Valvalis' voice said. 

 "Oh?" Golbez said. 

    The fiend of Air materialized in front of Golbez. 

 "The winds tells me that he is on his way to Mount Ordeals, hoping to become a paladin," she reported.

    Her eyes went over to Kain for a moment, then she resolutely looked away.  

 "A paladin?" Golbez repeated, a frown heard in his voice, "now that is not good news. If that should occur, he could be a threat." 

    He turned to look at Rosa, who met his gaze without any emotion showing. 

 "Your lover is truly foolish and stubborn, hoping to save you with the power of light, my dear." 

 "You thought that he would give up and hide just because I was your hostage?" Rosa spat, "you don't know anything about him!"

    Golbez snorted. 

 "Well then, I'll give him a true ordeal. Valvalis, bring this order to Milon; that mountain is most suitable for his… children, so he'll take care of this. Cecil's dark swords won't work at all against the zombies." 

    Valvalis nodded. She looked as she was about to leave, but froze. 

 "Sir Golbez," she said, "I'm just wondering…"

 "Well tell me, dear," Golbez said with a small, cold smile. 

 "Since Cecil obviously love this woman…"

    Valvalis pointed at Rosa and continued: 

 "… Why don't you turn her into your servant too, and dump her as a traitor into Cecil's arms?" 

    Golbez looked at Rosa, in disgust. 

 "Yes, my dear Valvalis, that would solve the problem fast. Sadly, her heart is so pure that I cannot do anything about it. She even feels compassion towards Kain, though he hurt her beloved so badly."

 "I know he didn't want to!" Rosa growled, "it's you, you monster!" 

 "But dear, I only added a little fuel to your friends jealousy, that's all." 

 "Jealousy?"

 "Indeed a lot, in fact. Kain suffers from grave heartache; he is deeply in love with you, and he has always been aware that you can never become his. Therefore, he has hated his best friend for a long time." 

    Rosa stared at Kain, but he didn't feel anything as his secret was unveiled. 

    Valvalis bowed, without any expression in her face. 

 "I will go to talk with Milon at once." 

 "Good," Golbez said. 

    And the fiend of Air left the room.


	6. Zemus

~*~Chapter 6 Zemus, master of elemental fiends~*~

Kain wasn't aware how much time passed. But suddenly, Golbez was furious. 

 "Killed Milon?!" he screamed. 

 "Yes, my king," Valvalis said, "I am sorry, I did not make it in time."

 "You worthless worm, excuse for a fiend!" Golbez snarled. 

    Valvalis clenched her teeth. Kain felt that he wanted to walk over to her and try to say something comforting, but the feeling disappeared immediately. He knew that Golbez would be most displeased.

    Kainazzo was there as well, and a tall man in a red cape. Kain was aware that the new person was Rubicant, fiend of Fire, though they had never met before. 

 "You should have come to me as soon as you heard about it," Kainazzo sneered at Valvalis, "I would have got there in time. Not that Milon was a great loss…"

 "A double lightning ordered?" Valvalis snarled, "coming right up, _Sir!" _

 "Stop it!" Rubicant demanded, "we all know that we fiends easily can destroy each other, so don't fight!" 

 "Go back to your posts, you idiots," Golbez said. 

    The three last fiends nodded and disappeared. Their king thoughtfully rubbed his cheek. 

 "Cecil can wait," he said, "the fiends can take care of him for themselves. I will have him alive… but right now, we must concentrate on getting the last crystal of light; the one of the Earth. However, it was stolen from Toria by the Dark Elf… could be tricky." 

 "Why don't we let Cecil work for us?" Kain suddenly said. 

 "What?" Golbez said. 

 "I am sure that he could get the Dark Elf," the dragoon said, "if you just allow him to get an airship, he could bring you the crystal in exchange for Rosa. Then I can take care of him." 

 "Kain…!" Rosa whispered, moaning.

    Golbez nodded slowly. 

 "Very well. I'll give orders that he will have some useless fights in Baron, then get an airship. You can give him the news, Kain." 

 "Thank you, my liege." 

    Rosa looked at the ceiling, as if she hoped to see some kind of angel ready to write down her prayers. 

 "Cecil, be careful…!" 

    Some time passed, without much notice. Then Golbez was in rage again. 

 "Kainazzo, you fool!" he roared to thin air, "you shouldn't have fought at all, at least not before reinforcements arrived! Idiot! And that Yang awoke from my spell too!" 

    The man in dark spun around, looking at Kain. 

 "Well, at least some part of your plan seems to work, you idiot!" Golbez snarled, "go to the airships and hurry to find Cecil!" 

 "Yes, my liege."

    Valvalis silently watched, unseen, as Kain hurried out of the Tower of Zot. 

 "Kain?" Cecil called. 

 "Golbez wants you to know that if you ever want to see your beloved Rosa again, then bring the crystal of Earth to him!" Kain yelled back, coldly. 

    Cecil looked so different, standing there on the other airship. He didn't have his dark armor anymore, instead he had a light one, and a softly purple cloak. The sword by his belt seemed to shine. 

 "Kain!" he yelled, with pain in his voice, "Kain, snap out of it!" 

 "The crystal or Rosa's life," the dragoon snarled. 

    Then the ships parted. Kain somehow felt guilty for a moment, but shook it off. He went inside of the ship's inner rooms, sat down on a chair and fell asleep, obeying. 

    Golbez' voice in his head awoke him. 

 'Cecil has got the crystal,' Kain was told, 'now, go up there and tell him to come to the Tower of Zot.'

 "Yes, my liege."

    He went outside again. Valvalis stood there, by the stem of the airship. Kain walked over to her as the ship started moving through the air. 

 "Why are you here?" Kain asked. 

 "The air is my element," she snapped, "I like it here." 

    Kain stood by the fence surrounding the deck, looking at the ground far, far below. 

 "What are you thinking?" Valvalis suddenly said. 

 "I… somehow want to… jump," Kain muttered. 

 "Jump from here?"

 "Doesn't matter. I just want to be free for a moment…"

    His head started to burn, he put his hands on his helmet, screaming in pain. 

 'You're stubborn beyond compare!' Golbez snarled inside his mind, 'not even putting you to sleep for several days help.' 

 "Forgive me, my liege…" Kain stuttered, clenching his teeth, "it won't happen again, please stop…!" 

 'Humph.'

    The pain dissolved. Kain leaned on the fence, gulping for air. He didn't see that Valvalis stared at him in shock, and when he turned around she had left. 

    The lonely airship once more came closer. There were some more men aboard except Cecil, but just as last time Kain didn't mind them. 

 "I have the crystal!" Cecil called, "where is Rosa?"

 "In the Tower of Zot, just follow me!" Kain snarled. 

    The ship that he was on turned again, and led the way through the skies. When the spire came closer, Kain yelled to his old friend. 

 "Golbez awaits you at the top, now start climbing!" 

    Kain's and the other airships which were under Golbez' command flew into a big hole in the wall of the tower. But Cecil couldn't follow through that, since the hole closed as soon as the fleet had landed. 

    The dragoon started walking through the tower's corridors, towards the top room. 

 "… Faithful to me, Valvalis?"

    The voice was so cold and harsh that it almost turned Kain's already tormented soul into stone. He slowed in and carefully looked around the corner of the corridor. 

    Valvalis stood there, shivering by a window, staring at nothing in overwhelming fear. 

 "I… I am s-sorry…" she stuttered. 

    Her cheek became somehow a bit fuzzy, as if something half-invisible touched it. She jerked back, but it seemed as if she hardly could move. 

 "Your feelings could be excused if they were aimed towards someone more suitable," the voice coldly said, "that this man also makes you wonder about your faith in me is to be concerned as treachery, my dear."

 "Master Zemus, I b-beg you…" 

 "This is unforgivable, Valvalis, you will have to come to…"

 "Master!" 

    A flame shot up from the floor beside Valvalis, and Rubicant stepped out from it. 

 "Master," he said, "please give her a second chance."

 "It will be the fourth, I believe," the voice snorted. 

    The fiend of Fire bowed his head.

 "Please, master Zemus," he said, "I will take care of this. Perhaps I can mend her humanity completely." 

    Silence. Finally the voice said:

 "I see… then I will leave the matter in your hands, my minion, but should you fail, then I must take care of it personally." 

 "Thank you, master," Rubicant muttered. 

    The air suddenly seemed much warmer; the evil presence was gone. 

 "Mend my humanity? You?" Valvalis snapped, "Rubicant, why did you even bother?"

 "I was also a human once," the fiend of Fire gravely said, "just as you."

 "I know that! Milon was human too… very long ago. Who knows what Kainazzo was once upon a time… that doesn't matter here, what _the hell are __you planning to do?" _

    He shook his head. 

 "Master Zemus cannot accept that you have feelings left simply because they point in the wrong direction. This Kain is not good for you, he should have been killed." 

    Kain clenched his fists, not sure what he felt. It surprised him that Golbez hadn't put his head on fire yet. 

 "Still I cannot help it, he makes me think!" Valvalis snarled, "and that could have sent me to the master! And you, what do you think you can do to help me? You don't have a clue, Rubicant, you haven't been there like me! You haven't had the master's face this close to your face…"

    She held up a hand, with only a quarter of an inch between her thumb and forefinger. 

 "… You haven't felt his cold breath on your throat…!" she furiously ended her half hysterical speaking. 

    Rubicant reached out and carefully grabbed her shivering shoulders, pulling her towards him. As he put her arms around her, his red cloak moved to almost hide Valvalis too. 

 "It'll be alright," he said, "it'll be fine… I, too, have feelings left, but the master accepts them, since they are suitable." 

 "What's that supposed to mean?" the fiend of Air snarled.

 "Master Zemus can only forgive humanity if it won't cause trouble. Therefore, he accepts what I feel towards you."

 "What?" 

 "Wind cannot harm Fire," Rubicant said in a low, surprisingly soft voice, "it can only make it spread, dance, take new forms it couldn't have achieved alone…" 

 "Rubic…"

    Valvalis' words were blocked by the other fiend's lips. First she seemed frozen, then she bent her head away. 

 "No, you cannot help me like that," she muttered.

    Rubicant sighed and shook his head. 

 "Give me a chance, Valvalis," he said, "if I cannot help you turn your feelings, you will end up on the moon. I know it's not that simple, but…" 

 "I like you," she said, "and I appreciate that you try to help me. But I can't love you. At least not now."

    Rubicant smiled strangely and carefully. 

 "Then let's just talk for a while, shall we?" he said. 

    Flames exploded around them, and they both disappeared. 

    Kain stood like a statue for a short while. Then he went up to Golbez in Rosa's prison.   

 "What took you so long?" the man dressed in dark sharply asked. 

 "Forgive me, my liege." 

 "Humph. It seems as Cecil is closing in. He and his friends has defeated Valvalis' trap. Not that those brats delta sisters were a great loss, they were only made by clouds… well, our guests are almost here."

    Golbez looked at Rosa and smirked. 

 "Good-bye, then, my dear," he said, "I'm afraid this is when we part. Come, Kain."   


	7. Valvalis' hatred

~*~Chapter 7 Repaying for a life? ~*~

Golbez went out of the door, and the dragoon followed. Hurrying steps closed in from a distance quickly, and so Cecil and his friends came running through the corridor. 

 "My, how nice to see you," Golbez said, scornfully, "now, give me the crystal."

 "Where is Rosa?" Cecil demanded. 

 "The crystal first."

    Clenching his teeth, the paladin threw a clear, glistening stone to Golbez. 

 "There!" Cecil snapped, "now where's Rosa?!"

 "Rosa? What about her?" Golbez smirked and turned away. 

 "Why you…!" 

    Cecil's angry call suddenly changed to a yell of fear. 

 "Tellah! Stop!"

    The other two men yelled as well as an old man dressed in mostly purple robes despite his age rushed over the floor. 

 "For Anna!" he snarled, "Golbez!"

    The man in black turned around, with a bored look. 

 "What do you want, old man?" 

 "Tellah!" Cecil screamed, "don't do it!" 

 "Golbez, this is for my daughter!" the old man yelled, "Meteo!!"

 "What!?" 

    The man's hands began to glow as his voice complete the spell's last words, and from out of nowhere burning stones came crashing down on Golbez for what seemed like forever. They all dissolved after hitting him. Then suddenly, it all came to stop, and the old man dropped to the floor. Kain looked at the fallen Golbez, and his head felt strangely cool. He had to lean against the wall, suddenly remembering everything and thinking clearly for the first time in many, many days. He finally was able to break free from Golbez' spell, now seeing how he had been used and corrupted by the magic. 

 'Is it over?' he thought, 'is he dead?'

    But he knew it wasn't so. Cecil and the two other men had assembled around the fallen one they called Tellah. Now Kain saw that one of the other men was a warrior from Fabul, with no skirt and the little hair upon his head in a long pigtail. And the other one was Cid, the mechanic. 

 "I fought in hatred…" Tellah whispered, "I will pay the price…" 

 "No!" Cecil and his two friends called in despair as the old man took a staggering breath and then became still. 

    Golbez moved. He got up, slowly but steady. The three remaining warriors spun around as they heard the sound of movement. 

 "Thought you had defeated me?" the man in black armor snarled, "no, and now the old man is dead, but I still stand."

 "You…!"

    With a roar of rage Cecil rushed forward, but Golbez knocked him into the wall. The paladin shook his head, trying to get up. The man in black raised his hands, he was going to…

    But Golbez never began chanting the killing spell. He stared strangely at Cecil, with confusion rising in his dark, shadowed eyes. 

 "You…" the evil commander slowly said, "who are you?"

    He backed off, shrugging his shoulders. 

 "We will meet again, Cecil!" he growled. 

    And so Golbez disappeared, without another word. Kain took a few, staggering steps. 

 "Rosa…" he croaked, "must hurry… Cecil… in there!"

    He pointed at the door. The paladin got up and ran inside, without hesitating. Cid and the man of Fabul, however, hurried over to Kain and helped him walk after Cecil. They entered the room just in time to see the paladin cut Rosa free and pull her away from the pole she had been tied onto. The next second a heavy blade fell from the ceiling, making a deep cut in the floor where Rosa's heels had been. 

    Nobody said a word as Cecil and Rosa turned to look at each other. They embraced. Kain looked away; he knew they kissed. He didn't think he could take seeing it. 

 "I'm so relieved to have you back!" Cecil said with a thick voice. 

 "I knew you'd come!" Rosa whispered.  

 "Your absence made me realize how much I…" 

    Cecil became quiet and just smiled warmly. Rosa smiled back, then she turned around to look at Kain's resolute face. 

 "I know you were controlled, Kain," she softly said. 

 "Forgive me…" he mumbled. 

 "It's alright." 

    He looked at her and knew that she would never tell Cecil what Golbez had said. Kain managed to smile a little. 

 "Come, let's blast out of this place!" Cid exclaimed.

 "Indeed, foul air fills the tower," the man of Fabul said. 

    They hurried towards the door, but…

 "Not so fast!" 

    Kain spun around. A lightning from out of nowhere hit the floor, and Valvalis suddenly stood there, her eyes burning with anger. 

 "Kain, you…!" she snarled, "will you never thank me for saving your neck? Now you betray us?" 

    He took a step forward. 

 "Valvalis, I don't want to fight with you! Please listen to me!" he called, knowing she wouldn't listen at all, "as you said, we are both warriors of the air…"

 "Enough!" she snapped, "neither you nor your friends will leave here alive! Lightning that tears the sky apart, come to my hands!"

 "Look out!" 

    Cecil threw himself and Rosa on the floor, trying to protect her with his own body. Kain ducked, and somehow even Cid and the other man managed to get out of the way of the lightning bolts. 

 "Valvalis, stop it!" the dragoon called. 

 "Pha!" she growled. 

    She started to spin around, her hair wrapped itself around her by the speed. Looking like a tornado, she attacked Kain. He jumped to avoid her, and for a short second he felt nothing but relief about finally jumping by his own will. He landed on the floor, just as Cid was about to get hit by Valvalis. The man of Fabul threw himself through the air, grabbed the mechanic's shoulders and brought him to safety. By now the fiend of Air had reached a spin that would kill anyone who got too close. 

 "Valvalis!" Kain yelled in despair. 

    But she didn't listen. Cecil brought out a tiny bow from his backpack and it grew magically in his hands. He picked out an arrow and fired it at Valvalis. But her speed and hair protected her; the arrow bounced and hit the floor. 

 "We can't touch her as long as she does that tornado!" Cid yelled. 

 "Must stop her spin…!" Cecil growled. 

    He turned his head. 

 "Kain! Jump!" 

 "What?" the dragoon called, stuttering. 

 "It's the only hope!"

    Kain stared at Valvalis, who had turned at Cid and the man of Fabul again.

 "Yang, look out!" Rosa yelled. 

    The sunburned man jumped aside… into the wall. He fell down and wasn't going to get up standing in time. 

 "Valvalis!" Kain screamed, "Valvalis, stop, I don't want to fight you!"

    She seemed to slow down for a moment, then turned around, rushing towards the dragoon instead. 

 "Go to hell, Kain!" he heard her growl. 

    He had to jump to avoid her, and did so. 

 'There's no other way,' he thought, almost with tears in his eyes as he floated by the ceiling, 'she will kill us if I don't… and she went through such fear because of me…'

    He hadn't really understood all that had been said between her, Rubicant and that invisible person they had called Zemus, but he had grasped that even the fiends were more or less controlled, just as he had been. 

    He grabbed his spear with both hands and pointed it downwards, aiming carefully. 

 "Forgive me!" he whispered as he rushed down through the air. 

    He hoped that she had heard him, because his planning showed result. She was hit in the back, and Kain landed on nothing except the floor. Valvalis had dissolved before she even had dropped halfway to the ground. 

    He didn't even get time to cry out his pain over killing somebody who had saved his life, before the room started to crumble. 

 "The tower is falling!" Cid yelled. 

 "Come here!" Rosa called, "hold onto me!"

    The four men hurried to grab her hands. 

 "Guardian angels, bring us to safety!" she yelled, and the world became unclear.     


	8. Down below

~*~Chapter 8 The crystals of darkness~*~

Everything became clear. Well, almost.

 "Where are we?" Yang mumbled, a bit confused. 

 "It's my room in Baron?" Cecil said, surprised. 

 "I didn't know where else to bring us,"  Rosa explained. 

    She fell down on a chair, staring at Cecil as if she hadn't seen him before. 

 "You're a paladin now, then?" she said. 

    He nodded, smiling carefully. 

 "You look great," Rosa smiled. 

    The smile faded. 

 "But what shall we do?" she asked, "now Golbez has all of the crystals…"

 "No, he hasn't," Kain said. 

    They all looked at him. He didn't know how he knew it, but he was sure. Maybe the spell that had controlled him somehow had given some of what Golbez knew to the slave…  

 "He only have the crystals of light," the dragoon explained, "but there's also four crystals of darkness, in the Underground. We must stop him from getting his hands on them." 

 "But how can we enter the Underground?" Cid asked, scratching his head with his   screwdriver. 

 "This key can help us," Kain said and pulled out a chain hanging around his throat. 

    A red key hung for it; looking almost molten. 

 'When did I get this?' the dragoon thought, 'my head feels so emptied…'

    He guessed that since the spell had been messing with his mind, memory-loss would be normal. But still, he had a vague feeling that it wasn't completely true. 

 "Great!" Cecil said with a broad smile and his voice filled with new hope, "but where do we use it to open a door leading down?" 

    Kain rubbed his forehead, trying to awake some more memories. 

 "Dwarves are said to live in the Underground," Cid pointed out, "and there's this city I've heard of where they claim that their ancestors were dwarves." 

 "The city of Argot!" Rosa said, "let's go!" 

 "We should rest a while," Kain mumbled, "I feel so tired…" 

    He shook his head. Rosa stood up and put her hand on his shoulder, noticing that he seemed dizzy. 

 "Are you alright?" she asked. 

 "I'm fine… just tired…" 

    But he wasn't really fine. The world seemed to be all covered in mist, but at the same time, he felt like his head was almost crystal-clear. Yet he didn't have any feeling of time passing. As if he read a book in the middle of the night, he noticed that Cid somehow brought forth an airship that he called the Enterprise. There was also something about flying and then being inside a small town. And Kain was pretty sure he gave something to Cecil, which the paladin threw down a well after a short moment of hesitating. But the dragoon didn't really know why. However, then the earthquake started and Kain fell, hitting his head on a rock. It was like breaking a bubble; he managed to think again. 

 "What's happening?" he called. 

 "The mountaintop!" Cid yelled and pointed with an arm shaking because of the quake. 

    There really was a mountain, and its top seemed to fall into the cliff itself. The crumbling of the earth stopped, as suddenly as it had started.

 "Is everyone alright?" Cecil asked. 

 "Yes," Kain said, frowning and resolute, "I am fine now." 

 'He tried to regain his control,' the dragoon thought, 'Golbez isn't going to give up that easy… but neither will I, do you hear me you monster!?' 

    There was no telepathic answer, and he felt relieved about that.

    They boarded the Enterprise and flew over the mountain. 

 "How does it look?" Cid called by the helm. 

 "It seems to continue downwards!" Yang called back, looking over the fence, "let us try it!" 

 "Alright, here goes!"

    Cid turned the wheel and made the Enterprise dive into the darkness. 

 "It's getting hot, don't you think?" Rosa pointed out. 

 "That's because of the lava down there," Cid yelled, "look!"

    The tunnel leading down suddenly turned into an enormous cavern, so big that it even had horizons. 

 "I must avoid flying over the magma or the Enterprise might take damage!" Cid called, "hang on!" 

    He quickly turned the ship away from the molten stone, and flew over the cracked ground. But his haste brought the group into more trouble. 

 "What on earth is that?" Yang called and pointed.

    Kain put his right hand at the side of his head to protect the eyes from the light of the lava as he tried to see what the man of Fabul meant. It was a troop of what looked like small houses made of metal, on big wheels down there on the ground. 

 "It's tanks!" the dragoon said. 

 "And the Red Wings!" Cecil yelled, "Cid, we're just between them!" 

 "Blast it!" the mechanic screamed.

    And there were several blasts, both from the tanks and the airships. The Enterprise was hit, but Cid hurriedly brought them out of the line of fire. 

 "Must land…!" he yelled, "I'll try over there by the mountain!" 

    It wasn't exactly a soft landing, but it wasn't a crash either. 

    Everyone eventually got to their feet and brushed the dust of their clothes and armors. Cid hurried of the ship. 

 "Gotta check the damage!" he grumbled. 

    The others followed him, listening to his curses for a while. There was a big hole in the wood. 

 "Great, this was my finest piece!" Cid yelled, "damn that Golbez!" 

 "I couldn't agree more," Kain mumbled. 

 "Hey, there's a castle over there," Rosa suddenly said and pointed. 

    They all looked. It really was a castle, surrounded by a very resolute-looking wall. The mountain had hid it from the other side. There was also a group of short, bearded men coming from the building, approaching the Enterprise and its owners. They carried big axes by their belts, but didn't seem very aggressive. 

 "Lali-ho!" one of them called as they came closer, "are you the people from above who fights Golbez?"

 "Indeed we are," Cecil answered, "who are you, then?"

    The dwarves stopped only a few yards away, with welcoming smiles. 

 "We are the troop sent out by the dwarven king Giott," the leader friendly said, "come on, follow us to the castle. The king awaits you."

 "How did you know about us?" Rosa asked. 

 "Mother Earth tells us a lot. And of course the tame monsters we've managed to capture talks a lot for only a little food. Poor things, really… well come on, lali!"  


	9. Rydia

~*~Chapter 9 Rydia of the espers~*~

Kain and his friends were brought into the castle of the dwarves, and into the throne-room of king Giott. After bowing and curtsying to greet this ruler and his daughter Luca, they could get to the point. 

 "I do welcome you to my land," Giott smiled, "your deeds have been told by the Earth itself. She was most relieved as you killed the fiend Milon." 

 "So you're well aware of Golbez, then?" Cecil carefully said. 

    The king nodded gravely. 

 "Yes. He has already stolen two of the crystals of darkness. But he won't get the last two if I've got something to say about it! They are well protected."

 "That's great, but we still have to get the other ones back." Cecil said. 

 "He keeps all of his crystals in the tower of Bab-Il, in the north," the king said, "it's said that the tower reaches to the Overworld. We've been trying to storm it."

 "You know what?" Cid said, "we'll surely need the Enterprise if we're gonna fight Golbez. But since it can't take flying over the lava, I'll have to bring it back to the surface and make it an armor of silver-plates. It seems that things are more or less under control here; we should take the risk of me leaving." 

 "We'll be fine, but can the Enterprise fly all the way since it's damaged?" Cecil asked. 

 "Sure m'boy, don't worry about me. See you later."

    And so the mechanic left without a glance over his shoulder. 

 "How's the battle against Golbez going, Your Majesty?" Rosa asked. 

 "Our tanks withstand his airships for the moment. Nothing to worry about," the king said with a smile. 

 "Where is the remaining crystal, then?" Yang asked, frowning. 

 "It's safely kept right behind me, in a hidden room," Giott answered. 

    For some reason, Kain suddenly felt very cold. 

 "In there?" Yang said, pointing at the wall. 

    He looked very concerned. 

 "Yes?" Giott said. 

 "I feel something evil coming from behind that wall!" 

 "Are you sure?" Cecil asked. 

 "Yes!" Yang said.

    The king stood up from his throne and nodded at the guards. 

 "Open the door!" he demanded. 

    One of the guards pulled one of the torches and a part of the wall moved, revealing a secret door. 

 "Let us hurry!" Yang said. 

    Followed by the dwarves, the four warriors from above approached the opening. There was a screeching, mad laughter to be heard from inside the big room on the other side of the wall. Several small, strangely child-looking creatures were jumping around inside of the crystal's room. 

 "Those are my dolls!" Luca exclaimed, peeking in from behind her father's back. 

 "Golbez must have given them life somehow," Kain growled and grabbed his spear, "Your Majesty, it's best that you and your men stay back and let us deal with this. It could be dangerous."

 "Very well," king Giott said after hesitating shortly. 

 "Come on!" Cecil called and drew his sword. 

    Kain's head seemed to become numb as he jumped, aiming for one of the dolls. Once more, he couldn't think clearly, and didn't care about it. He missed the doll, and it danced closer to its companions, laughing hysterically. The puppets almost looked as they were… 

 "They are combining!" Cecil yelled, "be careful!" 

    But there wasn't much to worry about. Yang hit the gigantic doll in its stomach, making it fall to the ground. Then the paladin and the dragoon easily cut and tore it to pieces, it was too clumsy to fight back or get up. 

 "I'm sorry about this, princess Luca!" Rosa called as she heard the girl's gasp. 

 "Nevermind that!" the little girl yelled, "behind you!" 

    The four warriors spun around. There was a shadow standing on the stair leading up to the crystal. 

 "Damn you…" Kain harshly whispered clenching his grip of the spear. 

    He finally noticed the mist in his head, and shook it a bit to get rid of the spell. 

 "You're getting on my nerves," Golbez said as he stepped out of the shadow. 

 "You!" Cecil, Rosa and Yang yelled, ready to attack. 

 "Indeed."

    Golbez sneered. 

 "And now, why don't you take a nice deep breath of this…"

    He raised his hands, and a purple cloud flowed from his fingertips, so fast that the warriors weren't able to react before it was too late. Kain gasped without wanting to, and felt his strength fade immediately. He dropped to his knees and vaguely noticed that his friends also did. 

 'You'd been better off staying as my minion, Kain,' Golbez' voice smirked inside of the dragoons head, 'but I could be willing to give you a second chance… maybe.'

 'Why then?' Kain harshly thought, desperately trying to get to his feet, 'want to show your power? Never, Golbez, you will never control me again!'

 'Very well, fool,' Golbez' voice said, listlessly. 

 "How do you feel, lying there unable to move?" he sneered aloud, "come, my Shadow dragon!"

    By his side, a dark, long creature materialized. It looked like a combination of a snake and a dragon, with short legs and evil eyes. 

 "So who'll be first?" Golbez said, thoughtfully. 

    Kain managed to move his head a little, and saw all the dwarves also lying on the floor, hit by the gas. They couldn't help. This didn't look good… 

 'Is this how it will end?' Kain bitterly thought, 'trapped here, bound like sheep in the slaughterhouse?' 

    The dark dragon awaited its master's command to kill, twisting impatiently. 

 "Calm, my beast," Golbez smirked, "I have to think a little. Should I kill Cecil first, or his friends and beloved?" 

 "Me…" Cecil stuttered, whispering, "please… kill me… first…" 

 "If that is your wish, I certainly won't," Golbez sneered, "I'll let my pet start with your friend of Fabul, I think…"

    The dragon hissed and rushed towards the bound Yang. Kain closed his eyes, couldn't bear the awful sight that approached… 

 "Heed my call, dragon of clean mist!" a young woman's voice shouted. 

    A big, white dragon appeared in front of the dark one. The pure creature opened its mouth and breathed a storm of ice-crystals at its enemy. With a snarl, Golbez' pet dissolved. The white dragon turned around and opened its mouth once more. The wind blowing from inside of it's chest scattered the remaining gas. 

 "Good, come back!" the woman called. 

 "Who the…" Golbez snarled as he turned around, and his eyes widened, "what? You!?" 

 "Hang on, people!" the voice yelled, "stand up!" 

    Kain suddenly felt that he could move again, and he got up, grabbing his spear. Before anyone else had regained their senses, he had jumped, with rage filling his whole body. 

 "This is for Valvalis, you demon!" he snarled as his fall brought Golbez to the ground. 

    But the evil one got a grip of the spear before it hit his stomach, and sent Kain flying several yards away. He got up again and was about to jump when he heard the sound of footsteps. He turned his head and saw a young, green-haired woman run over the floor towards Cecil, Rosa and Yang, with her green cloak flying behind her and the end of her whip crawling over the floor. She looked strangely familiar…

 "Get up, what are you waiting for!?" she yelled as Kain's friends just stared at her, "lightning that tears the sky apart, heed my call!" 

    Golbez threw himself backwards to avoid the bolts, and Kain clumsily hit him in the back with the non-sharp end of the spear. The evil one staggered forwards again, and Yang hit the right side of his neck with a powerful stab with the bare arm. Then Golbez growled in pain as Rosa's arrow penetrated his armor by the shoulder. 

 "For all who have died!!" Cecil screamed and rushed forward. 

    Time froze for a moment. Kain stared at the tip of Cecil's sword, which had cut through Golbez' cloak. The paladin was standing on the other side of the foe, looking almost shocked. 

 "Damn you all…!" Golbez stuttered, growling. 

    Then he dissolved, and Cecil stood there, with the clean sword in his hand. 

    Kain slowly stood up. Somehow, he had thought that he would feel a lot more relieved, but instead he felt empty. He didn't feel anything at all, no triumph, no wish to yell of relief. Nothing. 

 "You did it, Cecil!" Rosa called, most relieved. 

 "Good work, Sir!" Yang said with a broad smile. 

 "Finally he's gone!" the young woman who had saved them said, smiling. 

    Cecil turned around, slowly. 

 "Rydia…?" he whispered, "you're alive?"  

    Everyone looked at her. Even Giott, Luca and the other dwarves, who had also recovered and now had come into the room. She smiled and nodded. 

 "Yes. Leviathan never ate me, instead he brought me to the Land of Espers. The flow of time is different there, and I've grown and learned a lot. However, I can't use white magic anymore, just black and summoning." 

 "I'm so glad you're alive!" Rosa smiled and hugged the green-haired one. 

 "I've missed you too," Rydia said, warmly. 

 "Lali-ho!" Giott happily said, "let's celebrate! Golbez is dead and the crystal is safe!"

    They all went towards the door, when an awfully familiar voice cut through the air. 

 "I'm not… gone yet… fools…" 

    Everyone spun around, and saw a black glove arise from the floor. It rushed up the stair, grabbed the crystal… and was gone. So was also the stone.


	10. Edge

~*~Chapter 10 Edge, prince of Eblan~*~

 "No!" the men and women screamed.

 'I knew it!' Kain thought, 'he wasn't gone, I wasn't completely free…!'

 'Indeed I wasn't, and neither you,' Golbez' distant voice smirked inside of the dragoon's head, 'my plan to lure you into a trap by giving you the Magma key might not have worked as I expected, but I still have the crystal. And now give me your life force, so that I can recover…'

 'No…!' 

    But Kain felt his mind cease to work again, and he couldn't fight it. He was aware of the world just as he had been from Baron to Argot; only vaguely. He noticed that Cecil and Giott talked about some tower, and then there was a long walk, firstly in a dark, hot place and then through light, strangely lit rooms and corridors. There were several fights, and once he heard a distant voice which he knew belonged to someone named Rubicant. After that, another fight took place, but not with that one who the voice had come from. Running and an explosion followed… somebody was gone, and Cecil and the two women were sad. Then they exited the light place. And Kain's head became clear. 

    He stood on a bridge by the foot of an enormous tower, Cecil, Rosa and Rydia were walking away from the portal leading back into the high building. Kain rubbed his forehead and started to walk. He knew that his strength had been drawn, and that Golbez had recovered consuming the dragoon's power. He had to warn Cecil…

 'Don't even think about it,' Golbez' telepathic voice told him. 

 'Watch me!'

 'I don't think so.'

 "Enough!" Golbez' voice growled aloud for all to hear. 

    Kain's friends all froze. 

 "You've been irritating me for far to long," the dark voice sneered, "good-bye."

    There was a sound from behind, and Kain spun around. The wood of the bridge was being consumed by fire, too fast to be natural.    

 "Run!" the dragoon screamed. 

    Cecil grabbed Rosa's hand, Kain got a grip of Rydia and they rushed over the shaking bridge. But they weren't going to make it, Kain felt the planks break up under his feet and he fell with Rydia's scream making his ears shiver, followed by Rosa's and Cecil's. He closed his eyes, awaiting the hot, molten lava.

    But instead he heavily landed on a wooden floor. It was only luck that he didn't break anything or land on his spear. Rydia hit the floor by his side, and two other loud thuds told him that Rosa and Cecil also were safe. 

 "You okay?" a familiar voice called. 

 "Cid!" the saved ones yelled. 

 "Well hello!" he smiled, "but hang on, cause the Red Wings are after us!" 

    The Enterprise soared through the hot air, followed by an entire fleet of red airships. 

 "They're gaining on us!" Kain yelled. 

 "They've been modified!" Cid called, "damn it…! Cecil, take the wheel!"

    The paladin hurried over to his friend. 

 "What are you going to do?" he asked. 

 "I'm going to close the path to the Underground!" the mechanic replied and made set the course for the tunnel leading up, "go to Baron and talk to my workers, they'll help you!" 

 "What are you saying?" Cecil exclaimed, "stop, where are you…"

 "Rosa, I really wanted to see the two of you married," Cid said with a bitter smile, "but you'll have the wedding without me staining everything with oil. Kain, Rydia, take care."

 "Stop!"

    But as the Enterprise entered the tunnel Cid jumped, and he held a big, black ball in his hands. 

 "Golbez!" his friends heard him scream, "I've got a gift for ya!"  

    The wave of pressure erupting from the explosion made the Enterprise shake. Everyone left stared down as soon as everything became quiet, their mouths open in screams that couldn't pass their numb throats.

    Somehow, silently, the four warriors reached the surface. 

 "Cid… Yang…" Rydia mumbled as the sunlight touched her face. 

 "They also died to help us and many others…" Rosa sighed. 

 'And I still live,' Golbez sneered inside of Kain's head. 

 'Leave me alone!' the dragoon thought, snarling. 

 'You wish…'

    But then the telepathic voice became quiet, and no mist filled Kain's head. 

    The dragoon lazily thought about warning Cecil about Golbez, but it didn't seem to matter. They knew that he was healed now anyhow, since he'd tried to kill them. And why tell them that the evil one could talk to their friend telepathically, really… it would only make them more miserable and worried than they already were. Kain felt like he couldn't take anymore of his friends suffering, therefore he chose to remain silent. He knew it was dumb, but he just couldn't take it. 

    Cecil brought the Enterprise to Baron, and they all entered the castle. Cid's two workers almost started to cry as they heard about what had happened to their boss, despite their usual grumbling. 

"We got orders to make a hook ready to add on the Enterprise," one of them said, "the boss said something about a tower raising from the Underground close to Eblan, and that there is said to be shallows by a cave on the beach…" 

 "The tower of Bab-Il?" Rosa asked. 

 "Yeah, I think that's it."  

 "We could use the hovercraft!" Cecil said, "that must be what he meant with the hook! He probably wanted us to find a way back down, secret to Golbez…" 

 "We'll get to work then, you just rest a while."

"I wonder where the people of Eblan is, they are too fierce to be wiped out…" Rosa said. 

 "Let's hope they're alive," Kain mumbled. 

    The empty castle had really been a depressing sight. Not a living being, except some monsters hiding in hopes of prey. The prey hadn't been too easy to take down, however. 

    It was cold and dark inside of the cave. The torch in Cecil's hand flickered. 

 "How long can this tunnel be…?" Rydia wondered. 

 "Is there a light over there?" Rosa suddenly said and pointed. 

    Truly, around a corner. And there were a couple of guards, too. Eblanian ninjas?

 "Who are you?" they called. 

 "Friends!" Cecil called back. 

 "Come closer, and no quick movements!"

    After some explanation, the two ninjas calmed down a bit. 

 "We have heard about you, our spies have noticed that Baron and Golbez has had some trouble with you people," one of the guards told the travelers. 

 "Go on in, you should talk to the chancellor," the other one said. 

    They pointed at a door in the cliff, and then pushed it open. Inside of the cavern behind were women, children, ninjas, old men and women… 

 "We've hid here since the attack, waiting for a chance to strike back," the second guard explained, "come with me, I'll bring you to the chancellor."

    That one showed up to be an old man with a very concerned look. 

 "I'm so glad to meet the people who's been giving Golbez a hard time," he said, "but right now, we face terrible problems…"

 "Can we help you somehow?" Rosa kindly asked.  

    The old man sighed. 

 "Our king and queen disappeared in the attack against our kingdom, and we fear that they are dead," he explained, "and now prince Edge has gone to avenge them! We couldn't stop him, he's got a terrible temper…"

 "All alone?" Rydia asked, eyebrows rising, "he sounds like a mo… a man who moves first and thinks afterwards." 

 "That is true…" the chancellor sighed, "he went into the tunnel leading to the tower of Bab-Il…"

 "That's where we're going!" Cecil said, "we'll try to find him for you."

 "You will?" the old man exclaimed, "thank you so much!"

    And so they set forth on another walk through the dark caves. The dusky, boring world seemed to chew on Rydia's temper, as well as some facts. 

 "This prince seem like a total idiot to me!" the caller grumbled after an hours walking, "going all alone…!" 

 "It wasn't exactly wise, no," Cecil carefully agreed. 

 "Aughh!!" 

    The scream almost made the walls of the cave shake. 

 "Weak fool…" a voice said.

 "That's Rubicant!" Kain whispered. 

 "The one we saw in the tower earlier?" Rosa said as they hurried on towards the sounds. 

 "The fiend of Fire!" the dragoon growled. 

    They turned around a corner, just in time to see a red flame cease. On the floor, an unconscious man laid. The four warriors ran over to him. 

 "Healing forces in my blood, heal this man!" Rosa exclaimed. 

 "Urghh…" the man muttered and managed to sit up with some support from Cecil. 

"I suppose that you are the prince of Eblan?" the paladin said.  

 "That's me…" the man growled and scratched his cheek, which was covered by a piece of purple-grey cloth, "now leave me alone, I must defeat Rubicant…"

 "Are you an idiot or do you only act that way?" Rydia snapped, "he just brought you to your knees like breaking a twig!" 

    Edge looked up, raising his eyebrows.   

 "Well aren't you a sweetcheek," he said with a smile, "now lady, that was only the first try, next time I'll get him." 

 "Let us help you, we're after him too…" Rosa said. 

    Edge turned to her. 

 "Where did all these pretty women come from?" he smiled, but continued much more resolute; "thanks, but I don't need your help." 

 "Idiot!" Rydia growled, "you're even worse than I thought! What does it take for something to penetrate that thick head of yours; _you cannot defeat Rubicant on your own!" _

    The prince of Eblan looked quite startled for a moment. Then he shrugged his shoulders. 

 "Well, can't argue with such a beauty," he said, "alright, you can come with me."

 "Men!" Rydia sighed. 

    Cecil and Kain exchanged glances and were about to start laughing. However, they managed to fight it back. Edge stood up and the five warriors continued their journey. They reached the tower and worked their way up. The prince spent the time annoying Rydia until she was about to send Titan at him. 

 "You've really got a sweet back…" he said. 

 "Don't even think about it…" she snapped.

    Cecil covered his mouth with his hand. Kain would also have found it amusing, if Rydia hadn't used the same words as Golbez had done at the bridge.  

 'Applause,' the dark voice suddenly said inside of Kain's head, 'you're closing in.'

 'For the last time, leave me alone!'

 'Actually, I was thinking of giving Rubicant a little help. I feel a craving for life force…'

 'Why you… you…'

    Mist… he fell into the dusky world again. He felt a slight, fading anger, but then he just forgot that he even was alive. He thought he heard somebody scream… 

 "Mother! Father!"

    And another fight… and then the same person screamed again, with such pain and rage in his voice that it almost brought Kain out of the spell. He awoke for a brief moment, seeing Edge kneel by two small heaps of ash. Rydia stood right behind him and her hand, close to his shoulder, was twitching as if she wanted to touch him but wasn't sure if she really could.

 "Damn that Lugae, experimenting with humans…!" a voice suddenly said.

    Rubicant emerged from a flame few yards from Edge, who stood up so fast that he almost made Rydia fall backwards. 


	11. Imprisonment again

~*~Chapter 11 Golbez call for his minion~*~

 "You!" the ninja snarled.

 "I am sorry about your parents," Rubicant said, "I didn't know about it. I'm not like the others; I want to play fair."

    His eyes stopped at Kain for a moment.

 "Shut the crap-hole!" Edge roared, "I will avenge them!" 

 "Well then," the fiend said, "let us fight, though you are too weak. I will restore you all to make it fair."

 'Sleep, Kain,' Golbez commanded, and the dragoon couldn't fight the mist. 

    He knew he fought, but he didn't do it very well. Only well enough to make the others believe that he was fine, just had a little bad luck. But even though he almost didn't hit Rubicant at all, the fiend finally dissolved under several magical waves of water and icicles. Kain hardly mentioned it, trapped deep inside the wicked magic. Somebody talked a bit, then there was the sound of many footsteps leaving. Had they closed in earlier? Maybe. Kain wasn't sure, and he really didn't care. Cecil said something about a crystal-room, and Kain felt himself walking. Four voices suddenly screamed in surprise and fear, and there was something about falling for a long time. Like through a wall, the dragoon heard voices talking. 

 "We're close to the bottom of the tower!"

 "Inside of the Underground? Great…"

 "Let's see if there's a way out."

    Walking again. Shortly or for a long time, Kain didn't know.

 "Hey, it's an airship!"

 "Great, let's go!" 

 'Too bad that your abilities are about zero in this suspended mode…' Golbez' voice said. 

 'Let me go, demon!'

 'First you will bring me the last crystal.'

 'I won't!'

 'You will.'

    Flying? Yes, he was on an airship. But why? Then landing and walking again. And some familiar voices, but Kain didn't know whom they belonged to. 

 "Lali-ho, you're back!"

 "We didn't get the crystals…"

 "Well then, there are two things that I need to tell you. Firstly, Golbez is about to break the seal of the Sealed Cave, so you must get the crystal before he does. Luca has the key to it."

 "And what is the second thing?"

 "Your friend Cid is still alive. He's in the healing-quarters. Wait, if you go visit him, be careful, he's wounded. Come back here when you've greeted him."

    Kain felt rushing and heard happy yells, but didn't understand what the excitement was about. He heard some more voices, but everything felt more and more distant. 

 'Careful, Golbez,' a woman's voice said, 'if you drain more he might collapse.'

    The voice almost made Kain scream. He recognized it, he wanted to see the one it belonged to, so much that his heart ached. But why…?

 'It's the only way I can keep him under control, Valvalis. Now pipe down,' Golbez said. 

    It was dark again, and there were big things with fierce jaws. Kain heard somebody yell that some cave was totally screwed up, filled with living doors, and that almost touched his mind only because of the strangeness of it. 

 "The wall's closing in!" somebody screamed. 

    There were so many screams. How irritating. Kain wished that they would all become quiet so that he could get some sleep. 

    He walked again, for a long time. The others seemed very relieved about something. Then Golbez' voice spoke: 

 "Well done." 

 "Watch out!" Cecil's voice snarled. 

 "Kain," Golbez sneered, "return to me and take the crystal with you."

    The world became clearer again. Golbez. Cecil, there. Edge and the women, looking concerned. 

 "I'm… I'm fine," Kain stuttered, "he can't control me…"

    Cecil has the crystal. He is over there. Go. Hit. 

    The paladin crashed onto the floor, and Kain snatched the crystal as it fell from Cecil's hand. 

 "Now we have all the crystals…" the dragoon snarled harshly and hurried out of the small cave. 

    In the enormous cavern, he ran as far away from the entrance of the Sealed Cave that he could. 

 'Well done, Kain,' Golbez' telepathic voice said. 

 'You!' the inner part of the dragoon growled. 

 'Now, you will return to me.' 

 'No!' 

 'Yes, indeed. Valvalis, go fetch.'

    A wind made the dust on the ground dance, and the fiend of Air emerged from it. Her eyes were overfilled with a mixture of anger, pain and confusion. 

 "We meet again, Kain," she said. 

    He somehow knew he should be surprised about seeing her, but he couldn't remember why. She grabbed his shoulders, and wind whistled in his ears. Then he stood inside of a small room with white, slightly flashing walls. Golbez was there, and Kainazzo, a dark figure in a robe, and even Rubicant. Why were they there, they shouldn't, really… but why, and did it matter?

 "The crystal," Golbez said. 

 "My liege." 

    Kain sat down on one knee and held his hand up high. Golbez took the crystal and then smirked. 

 "Stand up, my good man," he said. 

    The dragoon slowly obeyed. 

 "I will leave the crystal in it's room," the man in the black armor said, "you just guard our friend here for a while, my dear friends."

 "Surely, Golbez," Kainazzo sneered. 

    The man in black disappeared into a shadow. 

 "And you can wake up, Kain," his distant voice said.   

    The dragoon blinked and shook his head. He lifted his hand to his forehead, but before he could touch it, he was thrown into the wall by a massive wave of water. Staggering he got to his feet, desperately grabbing his spear. All his memories and knowledge returned, and he realized where he was and who were there as well.

 "You!" he stuttered, "you are dead!"

    The one in the robe (Kain was glad the cloth hid the body, it didn't seem very pretty) edged closer. 

 "Surely," it hissed, whispering, "we were all dead, sssweet dead…" 

 "Master Zemus brought us back to life," Kainazzo sneered, "and now, you belong to us, you foolish man."

    Valvalis and Rubicant said nothing. The robed one (Kain guessed that it was Milon of the Earth) reached out a twisted arm and put his rotting, clawed fingers around the spear. He didn't seem very strong, but he easily pulled the weapon out of the dragoon's frozen hands. 

 "Hang him from the ceiling," Milon hissed, "let me play with him…" 

 "No, I will drown him!" Kainazzo snapped, "and this time, I'll have the water rise slowly…"  

 "No," Valvalis said. 

    The other two fiends angrily turned around. 

 "What are you going to do?" Milon smirked, "strangle him with a cloud?" 

 "I won't kill him and neither will you," she said, "the master still wants him."

 "Golbez is the only one who wants him alive," Kainazzo snapped, "and we were never under Golbez' control, remember?" 

 'You are wrong, my faithful.' 

    It was that terrible, cold voice again. Kain dropped to his knees, the feeling of total evil was so violent that his soul trembled. 

 "You do want him, master?" Kainazzo said, a bit surprised. 

 'Indeed. It makes me very irritated that I cannot control him completely. Golbez will have to work with him until I am satisfied, he's got one of the most stubborn minds I've ever encountered. I am pleased to hear that you feel my wishes, Valvalis.' 

 "Thank you, master…" she mumbled. 

 'When all is over, you will finish both him and Golbez off, my four faithful, this is your reward.'

    And so the evil presence left. 

 "_I will take care of this," Rubicant snarled.  _


	12. Fighting back

~*~Chapter 12 A victory~*~

Rubicant pushed Milon aside and lifted Kain by the throat.

 "Why don't you make yourself a bit comfortable, you pest?" the fiend in red clothes growled and threw the dragoon towards the middle of the room. 

    Kain heavily hit the floor and tried to sit up to make the world stop spinning. But before he was able to move, he was violently lifted again. Rubicant easily held him above the ground by his shoulder, and waved a bit with the free hand. A flame erupted from the floor and formed a chair. By the fiend's command, the fire turned into burned iron, and Kain was thrown down at it. His arms hit the two elbow rests, and at once his wrists were chained onto the dark metal. By instinct he tried to break free, but he already knew it was pointless to even try. Rubicant violently ripped off Kain's helmet and sent it flying into the corner where Milon had dumped the spear. 

 "Now you just sit here like a good boy and wait for Golbez," the fiend sneered. 

    Kain caught Valvalis' eyes through the jumping stars, but she resolutely looked away. 

 "How long do you think it will take to awake the giant of Bab-Il?" Kainazzo thoughtfully said, almost as he had forgotten the dragoon upon deposit. 

 "A couple of days," Rubicant said, turning away from Kain, "maybe a week even. It hasn't moved in a while, as you know. Might be hard to get to move." 

 "Giant…?" Kain harshly whispered.

 "It isss a weapon of the lunarians," Milon hissed, smirking, "it will bring all humansss to sssweet death, for the glory of our massster."  

 "Why…?" Kain muttered in a hoarse voice, "Valvalis, Rubicant, you said that you were once human, how can you…"

 "I could make his armor melt while he's wearing it…" Rubicant thoughtfully snarled, "that was centuries ago, you little pest. We only obey our master's wishes." 

 "Roassst him!" Milon hissed, hopeful. 

 "No, I won't. I'll leave him to Golbez, though it is most tempting."  

    Valvalis said nothing. She just resolutely looked at the floor, with firmly clenched fists. 

 "I see you've been playing a bit," Golbez' voice said, sarcastically. 

    He stepped out from his usual shadow. 

 "Had fun?" the man in black asked the fiends, with raised eyebrows. 

 "Not as fun as we could have had," Kainazzo grumbled.

 "Better not, that will have to wait." 

    Golbez turned to Kain, who stubbornly met his cold glance. 

 "Now then," Golbez growled, "I will seize control of your mind, even if it's the last thing I do."

 "Well then, go on," Kain snarled, "this time it won't be as easy as you think!" 

 "You're truly a fool."

    The man dressed in black raised his hands, and Kain's brain caught fire. But he clamped his teeth and put up his whole will against it. Knowing no magic, he used all the memories of Cecil and his other friends to create a wall against the evil influence. Golbez frowned and clenched his fists; Kain concentrated on the memory of Cecil's and Rosa's laughter. His head throbbed with agony, but he fought the spell back. 

 'Concentrate…' he thought, 'Cecil is my friend, he is my friend! Don't scream, mustn't loose concentration… Cecil is my friend! Rosa, Rydia and Cid are my friends!' 

 "Clever, I give," Golbez snarled, "but it won't work in the long term!"

    The pain was getting unbearable, but Kain refused to give up. 

 'Cecil!' he thought, 'he won't loose hope…! I trust in him, because he is my friend, he won't let this giant destroy the planet! Cecil… Rosa, Rydia… Cid… Valvalis…!' 

    It was as if the fiend had heard him think of her; she looked at him with her eyes almost imperceptibly widened. Kain himself didn't really know why he had thought about the fiend of Air, but somehow, his mind had caught the memory of her shivering voice as she had spoken to Zemus and Rubicant. And that memory made him feel compassion towards her. His lips moved a little; not a word, not a grimace, not a smile. They just moved a bit. 

 'I care, Valvalis, I didn't want to kill you… you were a prisoner just like me, and you're scared!'  

    She turned away with a small shudder. But no one else was looking at her. 

 "Most fascinating," Golbez snarled, "and irritating beyond compare."

    He lowered his hands and Kain heavily fell back, gulping for air. 

 "You have become much stronger than I expected," the man in black armor growled, "then we'll just have to let you become a bit weaker."

 "Will you leave him to us?" Kainazzo said, hope dribbling from his voice. 

 "No," Golbez said with an evil smile, "time will help us instead, time, hunger and thirst. That will bring even the strongest down. Come, we must begin working on powering up the giant."

 "Very well," Rubicant said with a harsh glance at Kainazzo. 

    All five of them disappeared through their own element; Milon in a fountain of mud. Kain leaned back, smiling broadly of triumph. He was aware that he would soon suffer nature's own, cruel torments, but the victory made him feel that starving was a minor event. 

    He had been able to withstand, he had been stronger than Golbez! If it was only for a brief time that he was victorious, so let it be that way, one victory was better than nothing at all. 

    A few hours later his throat was beginning to get dry, but he refused to surrender the remaining flame of triumph in his chest. It kept burning even as his armor started to feel like it was made of a thousand needles, all trying to penetrate his skin. After surely ten hours, he fell asleep of the pure exhaust to keep his strength up. 

    Since there were no windows in the room, he wasn't sure for how long he had slept. The flashing lights on the white walls began to make him dizzy, Kain closed his eyes to stay sane. He thought about his friends, went through his whole life and all his dreams and hopes to keep his mind strong. His stomach moaned about being empty, his throat felt like it was made of torn paper.

 'I mustn't give up…' Kain thought, resolute, 'I know that Golbez will try again sooner or later, but I will by no means beg for mercy!' 

    An eternity seemed to pass, and he slowly fell into half unconsciousness, weaker and weaker for every minute that passed. 

    There was a sound similar to the wind's warm whispering in the treetops, and then slow, soft footsteps. 

 "Val… va… lis…?" Kain harshly whispered.   

 "You're such a fool!" she growled. 

    Kain felt a smooth edge by his lips and managed to open his mouth enough for the cool liquid from the cup to be poured over his dry tongue. His throat burned as he swallowed the water, but it felt much better immediately. 

 "Don't lit any false hopes," Valvalis snarled, "I'm only doing this because my master wants you to survive a little while longer, and Golbez don't understand that you are about to die."

    Kain slowly managed to force his eyes open. The fiend of Air snorted. 

 "You know you can't fight, why don't you give up and spare yourself all this?" she snapped. 

 "Hope…" Kain whispered, and his lips even moved into a tiny smile, "it is what leaves the human last of all." 

 "There _is no hope!" Valvalis snarled, "there never was! Nothing can stop my master! Fighting Golbez back means nothing!"    _

 "That I am held captive means nothing… Cecil and the others will find a way to stop even your master."

 "What does it take for you to understand that it is impossible?!"

 "How do you know that?" Kain asked, "has anyone ever tried?"

    She opened her mouth, froze and closed it again. She and Kain stared at each other for a moment.

 "It is impossible," she finally snapped, resolutely, "he is far too strong for any human to defeat. You have felt his presence yourself; that evil mind can bring anyone to kneel before him."

 "How did you end up in his clutches?" Kain asked. 

    That one really startled her.

 "What did you say!?" 

 "I heard you speak with Rubicant in the tower of Zot," the dragoon said. 

    His head was thrown at his armored shoulder as her palm violently hit his cheek. 

 "You!" she growled with unsteady voice, "you have no sense of gratitude, do you?! Have you any idea what you can bring me to by causing imbalance in me?!" 

    Kain calmly looked back at her eyes. They were filled with rage and fear. 

 "I'm sorry about that, Valvalis," he said. 

    She raised her hand once more, but didn't slap again. Instead she turned away, shivering with anger. 

 "I am a fiend!" she growled, "and I am going to help my master destroy your planet! Why don't you hate me, you pathetic insect?!" 

    Kain said nothing. Valvalis spun around and grabbed his hair, pulling his head backwards. 

 "Answer me!" she snarled. 

 "I can't…" Kain stuttered, clenching his teeth, "you told me not to cause imbalance."

 "I'll break your blasted neck, you…!" 

 'That is good, my beauty,' a familiar, cold voice said, 'I see that you finally try to fight your humanity back. But you better not kill him yet.' 

 "As you wish, master," Valvalis said and let go of Kain. 

    The dragoon felt that a dark gaze rested upon him, but he clenched his fists and forced himself to stare at the opposite wall, not to look at the shadow that sent coldness through the room. 

 'You are truly stubborn,' Zemus said, 'almost even more than Valvalis was. Fascinating, really.'

    Kain said nothing. 

 'It doesn't matter,' the more or less telepathic voice continued, 'there are more than one way to break a strong will, and you are fading quickly.'

 "Are that all you care about, demon?" Kain asked, "to control me?"

 'You are very brave or most foolish, human, to dare talk to me like that.'

 "Maybe I should fear you, but I don't."

 'Valvalis once said something similar. Fascinating…'

    The fiend of Air resolutely looked at the floor. 

 'Humans are such strange creatures,' Zemus said, 'you know that your planet is going to be destroyed, and yet you refuses to surrender hope?'

 "I have never believed in the Apocalypse," Kain said with a strange smile, "tomorrow is another day."

 'Not for much longer. I will let you see what happens with your own eyes, then maybe you will come to your senses.'

    The evil presence left. After a moment, Valvalis did the same.

    Kain kept awake a while longer, but then he fell into something which was a mixture of unconsciousness and sleep.   


	13. Love

Ah yes, I thought I'd metnion this in the last chapter, but forgot as I uploaded it :P

Anyway; Deth Star, my verion of the story is only 38 pages long, but it depends on the text size of course :)

Now on with the show!

~*~Chapter 13 The giant and feelings awakes~*~

A hit in the stomach awoke him a while later, but he only gave a silent moan, too weakened to even show pain and surprise. 

 "Time for surrender, sleep-over," Kainazzo said with a vile grin. 

 "Keep dreaming, you deformed fish…" Kain muttered.      

 "Stop it, Kainazzo!" Golbez demanded as the fiend of Water growled in an alarming way. 

    The blue monster-turtle sneered. 

 "Of course, Sir…" he said, forcefully calm. 

    Golbez and Kain glared at each other. 

 "Today you won't be the victorious, trust me," the man dressed in black snarled. 

 "We'll see about that," Kain replied and clenched his teeth. 

    Golbez raised his hands. 

 "Wait!"

 "What?!" Golbez, Kainazzo, Milon and Kain growled.  

    Valvalis only turned her head in surprise. 

    A flame erupted from the floor, and Rubicant rushed into the room. 

 "What is it now, then?" Golbez asked, most irritated. 

 "The giant is ready for start, Sir!" the fiery fiend reported, "don't waste time on that puny human now!" 

    Golbez smirked. 

 "Well then," he said, "I suppose that seeing whole countries fall to their knees by a wave of my hand  even will bring the revolt out of this foolish dragoon. Bring him with to the control room."  

 "Of course," Valvalis said. 

    She grabbed one of Kain's shoulders, and everything became unclear to the sound of whispering wind. The dragoon next found himself hanging on a wall in another light room. The opposite wall had an enormous window, covering the upper half of it. But it was too dark outside of it to see anything through the glass. The other half of the wall was hidden behind peculiar, grey tables covered with strangely colored buttons. Some of them flashed silently. The four fiends and Golbez stood by the tables, the one in the black cloak sneering over his shoulder. 

"Watch carefully, Kain," he said, "I will now turn the last pieces of Eblan into fine dust."  

    He and Rubicant pushed a few buttons, and everything began to shake. Then there was a heavy crash to be heard. Another one followed the first, and a third and forth… Kain slowly realized that what he heard were footsteps. But they were loud enough too… oh no, could it really be true!?

    Sunlight hit his eyes, and he had to look away. When he once again looked at the window, he watched in horror as the land of Eblan with its crumbled and empty castle to the east could be seen way down. He could even see the distant ocean. The room was as high up as any airship…! 

    Golbez pushed another few buttons, and a stream of fire cut a wound in the grasslands. Crashing step, more fire. Crashing step, the castle of Eblan was going to get burned to the ground…

    Then suddenly everything shook again, but not because of another step. 

 "What the…?" Golbez growled. 

 "Ssstupid, ssstupid dwarwesss…" Milon hissed, irritated. 

 "With their stupid, stupid tanks, I see," Kainazzo scornfully said. 

    He gazed through the window. Something big and reddish flew past. 

 "I see that the Red Wings also wants to play," Golbez sneered. 

    Everything shook yet once more. 

 "They can't hope to win," Kainazzo smirked, "the central computer will heal any damage with normal and scientistic magic."

 "It's hopeless to fight," Rubicant snarled, "silly humans… what!?"

    His hands crashed upon several buttons as he leaned forward and stared out, upwards, through the window. A shadow covered the sun. 

 "What in the name of…?!" he said and pointed, "look, can it be?"

 "But it's impossible!" Kainazzo growled. 

 "The Big Whale?" Valvalis exclaimed, "it can't be!"

 "It's Cecil, that's what it is!" Golbez growled. 

 "I see that there might be trouble anyhow, _Sir!" Kain sneered. _

    Golbez snorted. 

 "Don't start the celebration too soon, my friend," he said, "even _if they should manage to somehow enter the giant, there's far to many monsters in here for them to pass through." _

    There was a beep to be heard from the tables. Rubicant rubbed his forehead. 

 "Sir Golbez," the fiend of Fire said, rather tiredly, "Cecil and his friends have entered the giant, and I believe that they are aiming for the central computer." 

 "So, so…" Golbez said, frowning, "he never know when to stop, the little knight… very well, you four go to guard the computer. _Should he manage to get there, which I do doubt, his friends are all yours. But bring Cecil himself to me, alive."_

 "Finally…" Milon sneered and vanished through his fountain of mud. 

    Kainazzo and Rubicant disappeared without a single word, but Valvalis quickly looked at Kain before she snorted and left. 

    Golbez pushed some more buttons. The wall to Kain's right turned blank for a moment, then showed a picture of Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, Edge and an old man in purple robes, with a beard so long that it reached to the floor. All five of them moved through a strangely lit corridor, their hands equipped with their weapons of choice - the old man held a mage's staff - and their eyes dark with determination. 

 "Fascinating," Golbez muttered as a huge robot stumbled with the help of Rydia's whip and then got massacred by Cecil and Edge. 

    The ninja-prince didn't see the small, eye-formed robot sneak up behind him, but the old man and Rosa did. The white magician sent an arrow into the vital part of the attacker and then, before it had re-energized the bearded one sent it a powerful lightning spell, blowing it into bits. Another giant robot came running. Rydia and Edge exchanged glances and nodded. The summoner/black magician chanted a second lightning, just like the old man had done, at the same time as the ninja leaped forward. The shock of the magic stunned the robot just long enough for Edge to penetrate its metallic throat with his katanas, ripping the head off. Though the prince and the young woman had argued through all the time Kain had been awake and around, they made a great team, that had to be admitted.

    Kain watched with a good sensation of triumph, but yet he also felt a rising fear.     

    They would undoubtedly make it all the way up to the central computer, where the fiends awaited them, and…

    The fear swallowed the triumph completely.

    No!

 "Golbez!" the dragoon shouted, "let me fight instead of Valvalis!" 

 "What?" 

    The man in black glared at Kain, surprised and irritated. 

 "What's that rubbish about?"

 "She'll get killed!" Kain hoarsely said. 

    He knew it was true. Cecil and his friends would defeat all of the fiends, nothing could stop them. And then Valvalis would truly be dead, Kain strongly doubted that Zemus would consider resurrecting his servants if they failed him a second time. 

 "Killed?" Golbez scornfully repeated, "do you really believe that Cecil will accomplish that?"

 "I know he will! Golbez, I'll _give you my mind, please!"      _

 "I see that I never understood the depths of your foolishness. Are you telling me that you're actually _in love with a fiend?" _

    Having Golbez speak the truth that Kain hadn't seen himself was like an ogre's fist hitting the dragoon's stomach. All that the warrior had thought he felt was a desperate urge not to let Valvalis die or end up in Zemus clutches again. He had thought that it was because that she had saved his life and he had paid her back by killing her. That the shame about that was why he wanted to protect her. But he now understood that it was more than that, his despair was far to deep. Yes, it was foolish, even stupid and insane. 

    But he loved Valvalis. He loved the fiend of Air. Because she had saved him, she had suffered like him, being a slave. She was a fighter of the air, as she had said to describe him once. She was strong and yet vulnerable, just like the dragoon had felt for a long time. He hardly knew her at all, but somehow he did anyway. The thought of her had helped him withstand Golbez' power, better than the memory of his friends had done. It was so, stupid, silly and foolish; it didn't matter. He loved her. 

 "Yes," Kain coldly said. 

    Golbez snorted. 

 "No, you won't fight instead of her," he said.

 "But…" the dragoon growled. 

 "Answer me this; are you a fiend? No. You might want to give me the power over you, but I will take it anyway. Later. You and Cecil will scream in unison as I destroy your puny resistance." 

 "Golbez, he will kill all four of them!" 

 "I doubt it. They became much stronger as they were resurrected, and this time they are working together." 

 "It won't help them!" Kain desperately yelled, "Cecil and the others will defeat them, don't you see?! Look how they wave off the monsters in here!"

    He pointed at the moving picture as well as he could. Rosa sent a flood of healing stars over Edge, who didn't stop his quest on punching a screeching dragon even at that. Cecil grimly ran his sword through the beast's chest, while the old man and Rydia sent lightning-bolts flying in all directions. 

 "It doesn't matter," Golbez snorted, "they're no match for the fiends. Now shut up."

    A bolt of dark energy left the evil one's hand and hit Kain's lips, covering his mouth. He wildly shook his head trying to get it off, knowing it was hopeless. Even if he could speak, nothing would make Golbez listen. He could only watch in growing horror how his friends ran over a long bridge, approaching a big platform. As they reached that, a fountain of mud, one of water, a tornado of dust and a flame erupted around the warriors, and the fiends entered. Cecil and his companions gasped in surprise but then grabbed their weapons, ready for battle. Rubicant held up his hands and sent a rain of healing stars over his enemies. 

 "Idiot," Golbez grumbled, "that man has a far too big sense of honor." 

 'Valvalis, get out of there!' Kain desperately thought, 'they are too strong! Rubicant, don't let her fight…' 

    He saw both the fiend of Air and Fire frown and exchange bewildered glances. But the dragoon wasn't very surprised, after all his arguments with Golbez consisting of mere thoughts he knew telepathy. And Valvalis had seemed to know that the dragoon had been thinking about her as the man in black tried to convert Kain a second time. 

 'Listen to me, Valvalis, Rubicant!' Kain thought, hoping they could hear what he wanted to tell them, 'Cecil and his friends have become too strong!' 

 'We have no choice, Kain,' Valvalis' voice whispered in his head, bitterly, 'farewell.'

 'No! _Valvalis!!'  _

    But she didn't answer.  


	14. Freedom

~*~Chapter 14 Bitter freedom~*~

Rydia pointed at the four fiends, and green, flaming orbs danced around her. She called something, and the intensity of the orbs' glowing gave away that it was something powerful. 

    What appeared in front of her was a giant, blue sea snake, and Milon was brought to its knees by the powerful tidal wave erupting from the long body. The old man raised his hands, his strangely light-green eyes flashing as he mumbled. A massive lightning bolt hit Kainazzo and the wave of pressure forced Rubicant to stagger aside. But as the magicians had to draw back for preparing a second magic blow, the fiends attacked. Cecil and Edge held their swords ready, Rosa had an arrow in her bow. Kain turned his head. The knowledge was enough, he didn't want to see Valvalis die again. He didn't want to know which one of his friends it was who turned his heart to dust.      

 "What the hell…!?" Golbez gasped in shocked rage. 

    Kain sighed deeply, and his breath shivered. It might as well have been a sob. 

 'Farewell, Valvalis…' he bitterly thought. 

    He still didn't turn his head to watch his friends advancing. But there suddenly was a blinding flash coming from the wall with the moving picture; like an explosion. 

 "You have to do everything yourself…" Golbez growled in outrage.

    He pushed a button on the tables, and a door opened a few feet away from Kain, to his left. Golbez' cloak flowed behind him as he rushed out of the room, leaving the dragoon alone. Lazily, Kain turned to the right wall. 

    Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, Edge and the old man stood silent, watching their work. They had destroyed something; three black orbs laid cracked on a mess of smashed mechanical remains. Suddenly, they all looked up. Golbez entered the screen, his dark eyes glistening with hate. He shouted something, and the old man ran over to him, trying to speak with him. But Golbez fist hit the bearded one and he fell. 

    However the man in black suddenly froze, staring bewilderedly at the old man. 

    Nobody moved. 

    The old man said something, and Golbez rubbed his forehead. As he then slowly said something, Cecil looked like he had seen a ghost and backed a few steps in shock. Rydia, Rosa and Edge's eyes went between the paladin and Golbez, their gazes filled with disbelief.  

 'What's happening?' Kain wondered, frowning. 

    Golbez reached out a hand and helped the old man to stand up. This, needless to say, really startled the dragoon. 

    Suddenly his chains dissolved, and he fell to the ground. It was not a soft or silent landing since he wore his armor, but at least he was free. He had no idea why, though. 

    The old man and Golbez rushed out of the screen on the wall, though Edge and the women shouted something after them. Cecil seemed paralyzed. 

 'I won't bother you anymore, Kain,' Golbez voice growled in the dragoon's head, 'I have been used, and I'll go to take my revenge.'

 'What's happening? Who is the old man?' Kain thought, confused. 

 'His name is FuSoYa,' Golbez answered, 'and he was a friend of my father KluYa. And my father is also Cecil's father.'

 '_What_!?'

 'I didn't know. Your friends can tell you everything, now hurry to get them out of here.'

    Kain got up and staggered out of the room. His whole body was stiff after the rough treatment he had received in the past few days, and it was long since he had moved last. 

    There was a stair outside of the door, and something lay on the floor down there, between two metallic doors. 

 'I've sent your helmet and spear to the stairs,' Golbez informed, 'take them and then go to the right to find your friends. The left path will bring you out of the giant. Hurry, it'll start to break up any second.'

    Kain somehow made it down the stair. He picked up his stolen equipment and pushed the right door open. There was the smashed machinery, and behind it his friends. Everything began to shake as the dragoon staggered inside.

 "Come on!" he shouted, "the giant is about to fall, I'll bring you out of here!" 

    Everyone except Cecil, who just stared at the floor, spun around to stare at Kain. 

 "You betrayed us!" Edge growled. 

    Kain was too tired and broken to start explaining. There wasn't any time for it either. 

 "Should it happen again, don't hesitate to do away with me," he called, "but right now you have to trust me!" 

    Rosa shook Cecil's shoulders to bring him back into life, but he still moved like a zombie as the four warriors followed Kain. 

    The dragoon forced the second door open, entering a small, flashing room. 

 'It's a teleportation room,' Golbez explained, 'just call out where you want to go, there's still just enough power left. Good-bye, Kain. I won't torture your mind again.'

 'Wait…!'

    But there was no answer. 

    The flashing lights on the walls were becoming less and less flashing for every second that passed.

 "This will bring us out," Kain harshly told Rosa, "where do you want it to bring us? Hurry!"

 "The Big Whale!" Rosa yelled, and everything became unclear. 

    Kain found himself in another light room with flashing walls as he opened his eyes. In the middle of it was something astonishingly similar to a crystal's holy pillar. There _was a crystal there, but Kain was too exhausted to really care. _

 "Are you alright, Kain?" Rosa asked, worried. 

 "Tried to weaken… haven't eaten in…" he mumbled.

    His legs couldn't carry him and his armor anymore and he fell to the floor, unconscious. 

He awoke in a bed. It was grey and seemed to be made all out of metal, but despite the looks it was soft and comfortable. On the other hand, he felt as if he'd consider _anything soft and comfortable. His armor laid on the floor in a tidy heap, and beside it was his spear. Kain only wore the usual, simple light-brown shirt and pants that he always carried beneath his armor._

    He knew that he had changed from the prisoner's clothing into his own some time when he had been hypnotized in Baron, but those details were all too vague to grip. 

    Kain tried to move, and his whole body exploded with ache. He moaned slightly. 

 "Oh, you're awake," a relieved voice said. 

 "Rosa…?" Kain harshly whispered. 

    With a cup in her hand, she sat down by his bed. 

 "You need to eat something," she softly told him and helped him to sit up, "here, have some soup. Don't drink too fast."

    Kain managed to hold the cup and lazily blew on it to cool it down. Though his body screamed and pleaded for him to swallow the meat and vegetable soup, he wasn't in the mood for it. His head was spinning with questions and bitter knowledge. 

 "She's dead…" he whispered. 

 "Who?" Rosa carefully asked. 

    He needed to tell somebody; it was too much for him to carry alone.

 "Valvalis… she saved my life, and I killed her, Rosa! She didn't want to listen… she was a slave too, I… I…"

    Rosa moved over to his bedside and put her hands on his shaking shoulders. 

 "Look, Kain, if you hadn't killed her back then, she would have killed all of us. It was the same this time, when…"

 "Don't tell me," Kain whispered, "I don't want to know who killed her once and for all."

 "Alright."

    Rosa put her hand on his pale cheek, calming. 

 "Now drink the soup," she kindly told him, "you're very weakened, and I can't heal hunger." 

    Ignoring the remaining heat, Kain slowly swallowed all of the soup. It sent warmth through his battered body, though his throat burned by it.

 "Healing forces in my blood…" Rosa softly chanted. 

    Kain's body stopped aching, and his strength returned. But it didn't help his darkened, sad mind. 

 "Do you feel any better?" the white magician said. 

    For as long as he could remember, Kain had wished that she would be at his side, caring only for him. But now it didn't matter at all. 

 "Yes, thank you," he forced past his lips. 

 "Kain?"

    It was Cecil. He looked very tired, and more or less fell down on the bedside, by Rosa. For the moment he also had taken off his armor, only wearing the same simple clothing as Kain did.  

 "Kain, Golbez is… he is…" 

    But the two words couldn't touch the paladin's tongue, though it burned everyone's mind. "My brother". 

    Kain slowly nodded. 

 "I know," he said. 

 "Can you stand up?" Cecil asked, "we'll have to talk about how we will proceed." 

 "I'm coming."

    Kain pushed the blanket aside and managed to get up. His legs protested, but he refused them their wish to let him fall. 


	15. Moonflight

~*~Chapter 15 To the moon! ~*~

Following Rosa and Cecil through a short corridor, Kain found himself in the room where he and the others had been teleported before he fainted. Now he had strength enough to wonder about the crystal in the middle of the room, but only did so briefly. 

 "Charming," Rydia's voice said, with a poisonous scent, "I bet you tell every girl you meet stuff like that, if they don't run screaming in the first place."

    Edge's voice gave a short, dry laugh. It seemed like they were behind the pillar. 

 "I conclude you consider yourself very brave, then?" he teased.    

 "I do, but the only reason I didn't back off the first time I saw you was that you were a miserable, defeated lump!"

 "Now, now, lady, let's not bring up old mistakes."

 "Better not," Rydia replied, "if you would make a list of yours, I'd die either of boredom or laughter." 

 "A heart of stone that perfect chest carries within…" Edge sighed. 

 "I wouldn't let my mind wander in that direction if I were you, my friend." 

 "They make such a sweet couple, don't they?" Cecil said with a tired smile. 

    He raised his voice. 

 "Get over here, you two!"

    Edge and Rydia emerged from the pillar's other side. The ninja still watched Kain with disbelief, but the young woman smiled warmly at him. He was glad to know that his friends cared about him, it made his heavy thoughts a little lighter. 

 "Let's go to the moon and smash this Zemus, damn it!" Edge said, as if it was already set, "you know we can't stay here doing nothing!"

    Zemus…? 

 "You're an idiot," Rydia snorted, "you mean we're just going there without planning or anything that complicated?"

 "I don't know exactly what's going on," Kain growled, "but I agree with Edge!"

    Everyone stared at him, the sudden anger that filled his voice had startled them all. 

 "Do you know something about Zemus?" Cecil carefully asked. 

 "I know that he controlled everyone, including Golbez and the fiends. That is enough for me; he is the one we must fight!" 

 "Let me explain everything to you," Rosa said to calm him, "when we went through the giant we got a lot of help from an old man named FuSoYa…"

    Kain just listened, even though he already knew about the old man's name and that Cecil and Golbez were brothers. What he wanted most of all was to save time and enter the battle as soon as possible, and interrupting Rosa would only cost more, precious minutes as he in turn would have to explain. 

 "He and Zemus are both lunarians, which are a humanoid race. They have been sleeping inside of the moon for a long time, as the rest of their people. However, Zemus had sinister plans for the Earth, so FuSoYa sealed him away and forced him to sleep. But his mind wandered, and he found that a man of the lunarians, KluYa, had two half-human sons on Earth. Those are Golbez and Cecil. Zemus could easily control one of them since they were of his own race, picking Golbez."

    She fell silent for a moment, and Kain realized that the chosen one just as well could have been Cecil instead. That realization almost made him shiver; the thought of his friend in the dark armor and black cloak, talking with the fiends… 

    Nobody said anything for a moment. Then Rosa continued: 

 "Now that Golbez' mind is free, he decided to come with FuSoYa and help him defeat Zemus."

 "I say we go and help them!" Kain said, grimly. 

    He knew that he would fight with anger and the pure wish of avenging Valvalis. But he couldn't help the hate he carried within. Valvalis had suffered and died, just as many, many others, only because of Zemus. It could by no means be tolerated any longer.  

    The room was silent for a moment. Then Cecil slowly nodded. 

 "Alright. We'll go to the moon again," he said, "but…"

    He turned to Rosa. 

 "You and Rydia won't come with us."

    She stared at him, mouth open. Rydia did the same. 

 "What?!" Rosa finally stuttered. 

 "It's different this time," Cecil gravely said, "nothing can assure our return. Therefore I don't want you to come."

 "I won't leave you behind!" 

 "Neither will I!" Rydia snapped. 

 "Come on now," Edge smirked, "be a good girl and stay at home." 

    Rydia gave him an extraordinarily cold gaze, and this time she was really mad. Edge blinked, realizing that he might have gone too far this time. But the caller didn't say anything. 

 "I won't go!" Rosa said, almost desperately. 

 "Yes you will!" Cecil harshly said, "I don't want you to die, now leave the ship. _Please, Rosa!"   _

    She stared at him for a moment longer, then she turned around and went down a stair in the room's bottom corner without a single word. Silent, Rydia followed her. 

    Cecil clenched his teeth and stared at the floor for a moment. Kain knew that his friend had suffered greatly giving Rosa such an order. It hurt the dragoon as well. The prince of Eblan only sighed a bit as Rydia disappeared. 

 "Let's go," Cecil said. 

    He went up the stair to the crystal and said something in a low, demanding voice. Everything shook a bit, and Kain felt the familiar sensation of being inside of something that was flying. He had learnt it as he had grown up in Baron, with its airships. 

 "To the moon again," Edge said, in a strangely lazy voice, "well, better get equipped." 

    He went down into the corridor leading to the room with the beds, probably only because he needed to get the belt with his katanas. He seemed to have everything else. Except Rydia. Kain easily saw, with a bitter smile, that the prince of Eblan and the caller of Mist undoubtedly liked each other very much, though they'd rather die than admit it. 

    The dragoon lazily looked at the grey floor. 

 'Valvalis, I will avenge you!' he thought, frowning. 

    He was well aware he was a fool for even start feeling something for her in the first place, she had been a fiend… but he couldn't help it. The way she had made him nervous as they had met in Baron, in the cell… all the time she had seemed so confused. Kain had only known her for a short while, during which she had intended to kill him a few times, but… it was hopeless trying to deny anything, or even point out how silly and foolish it was. Valvalis was dead, and she had brought a major part of Kain with her.      

    He heard Cecil walk the same path as Edge, also intending to get equipped. The dragoon concluded that he might as well do the same. 

 "We've landed," Cecil concluded. 

 "Then let's go," Edge grimly said.

    Kain followed his two comrades towards the exit. Cecil was about to walk down the stairs when he suddenly drew back with a surprised gasp, forcing the dragoon and Edge to step backwards. 

 "Rosa?!" the paladin whispered. 

    She stepped into the room, her arms resolutely crossed and with a harsh look in her eyes. 

 "I'm not leaving you behind, Cecil!" she said. 

 "It's too dangerous, you…"

 "I'm not moving an inch if you don't agree to let me come with you," Rosa said, coldly, "if you die, I will be with you!"

    Cecil hesitated. 

 "Damn it, Cecil!" Edge exclaimed, "you have a woman begging to come with you, and you show her away? Rydia obviously call the wrong person a moron!"

    The paladin sighed. 

 "Alright, then," he said. 

    He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Rosa. She suddenly smiled warmly and buried her hands in his thick hair. 

 "It worked!" somebody cheered. 

    Rydia entered from below, grinning broadly. 

 "Oh, I see I have yet some hard times ahead!" Edge smiled. 

 "Right you are, oh prince of the world's lousiest pick-up lines," the caller laughed. 

    Cecil smiled a bit, then he turned his whole mind at Rosa again. He held her tightly, and they kissed. 

 "Whatever happens," the paladin softly mumbled, "I will protect you."

 'If only I could have promised you the same, Valvalis…' Kain sadly thought, 'I'm sorry, my friend, but I will just have to do what I can and defeat the devil who tormented you.'  


	16. Zeromus

~*~Chapter 16 The birth of Zeromus~*~

 "Zemus sure has some sour pets!" Edge grumbled, grimly watching the giant, yellowish bat with the enormous eye dissolve on the floor. 

 "Healing forces from heaven, free us from our pain…" Rosa chanted. 

    Cecil rubbed the blood from his lips and lifted the glowing spear from its carved stone-pillow. 

 "And we have another sacred weapon," he grinned. 

    Holding the spear forth, he turned to Kain. 

 "It belongs to you, I believe." 

 "Indeed," Kain said. 

    He took the spear, and it buzzed softly as he held it. The weapon amazed him, just as all the other holy weapons they had found on their way down through the moon; the Masamune and Murasame that Edge now wielded, Cecil's new sword… and now this.****

    The spear was made of a material unfamiliar to the dragoon; it was heavy as iron but look similar to pearl. He couldn't find a better description. It glowed softly, almost like a promise of power and victory. He smiled at it, as to a new friend, and it buzzed in his grip. 

 "Come, I think that we are closing in," Cecil said and once more took the lead. 

    Kain didn't think much for the moment. He was silently preparing himself for the approaching battle. 

 "Oh, my…" Rosa said as they went down a stair after a short walk and entered something completely new. 

    She wasn't the only surprised one. Leaving the dusky, cold caves of the moon, the small troop had now stepped out into a world made of crystal. The floor and stairs ahead were as clear as glass, held up by pillars of the same material. The distant cave-walls were reddish and seemed to flame from within. Light came from a gigantic orb below. 

    Somehow, Kain knew that the glowing orb was their destination. He noticed that the others also looked down, frowning. They all knew, and hurried on. 

    There were few monsters here, and by now Kain and his comrades had become strong enough for beating even two Behemoths at the time with little trouble. They were determined not to let anything stand in their way. 

    And eventually, they used yet another magic teleporting plate on the ground to move on. They had used so many by now that Kain couldn't count them all. But this time, it wasn't silent where they materialized. There was the sound of a battle, above several stairs. 

 "Hurry!" Kain growled, and he rushed upwards after Cecil. 

    Then he saw Zemus. 

    The lunarian was even taller than Rubicant, dressed in a dark cape. His skin was purple, his claw-like hands moved like snakes as he chanted. His dark, cold eyes flashed by his words below the bold forehead. 

 "Stones of hatred from the universe, bring your fury upon our foe!" two voices yelled in unison before Zemus had finished his spell. 

    It was Golbez and FuSoYa. They stood on each side of the wicked one, their faces strained in determination and the torment of controlling the powerful magic. 

 "Good, show your power!" Zemus snarled. 

    Then the burning rocks started crashing upon him, and he fell.  

    FuSoYa and Golbez stood there gulping for air, watching the seemingly defeated enemy, waiting for the slightest movement. But Zemus didn't even seem to breathe. Slowly, the two standing warriors lowered their hands. 

 "Pity," FuSoYa sighed, "he wasted his whole life on hate…"

 "Hey!" Edge yelled, cheering. 

    Golbez and the lunarian turned around in surprise as they heard the call and the footsteps. 

 "Oh, you came!" FuSoYa smiled. 

    With a slight sigh, Kain looked at the one he had come to defeat. Zemus was dead, that was for sure. Was it enough to see him die? The dragoon nodded inside of his mind. It was enough. It had to be.

    He had to keep his rage down, or he'd turn into the wrong kind of warrior sooner or later; one blind for anything except the own hatred. Valvalis was avenged, and that was what Kain had wished most of all. He was a bit disappointed he hadn't been able to help out more, but Zemus was dead and that was the only important thing. The dragoon hoped that his love's spirit would be able to find rest now. 

 "Cecil…?" Golbez carefully said. 

    But the paladin turned away. Everybody looked at him, sadly. Just as Cecil had done, his brother had chosen to change paths. Yet that wasn't enough for the paladin to forgive. Not yet, anyhow. 

 "Cecil…" Rosa said, softly. 

    She put her hand on his cheek, comforting, trying to encourage a feeling of forgiveness. But her loving powers had no chance to begin working, because there was a sudden screech. Everyone spun around. 

 "I'm not gone yet…!" Zemus snarled. 

    His body was consumed in eerie flames, and out of it stepped a horrible monster, covered with long, grey tentacles. Its fierce jaws were blood red, its eyes flared. 

 "I am Zeromus," it screeched, "product of Zemus' hatred! Now you will now the meaning of true suffering!" 

    A massive wave of dark energy brought everyone to their knees. Kain gritted his teeth in pain; his skin burned while his flesh felt colder than ice. He fell to the ground, unable to move. He saw, through the dancing, purple stars before his eyes, that his friends also dropped. 

 "Death only increased his hatred…!" FuSoYa growled through his clamped teeth and slowly managed to stand up. 

    Snarling in pain, Golbez forced himself to rise from the ground. The two men approached Zeromus, determined to fight or die. 

 'Golbez, be careful…!' Kain thought, though his brain felt as if daggers penetrated it as it accomplished the mere task of thinking. 

 'Hang on, Kain!' the man in black grimly answered. 

 "Stones of hatred from the universe, bring your fury upon our foe!" two voices once more demanded in unison.  

    For a second time, burning rocks fell through the air. But as they hit Zeromus they seemed to be absorbed by his tentacles and he gave a screeching laughter. 

 "Use the crystal!" FuSoYa yelled, despair filling his voice. 

    Shaking because of the dark waves Golbez reached for his belt and brought forth a glistening stone, as big as a man's fist, from a small bag. He held it above his head, and it sent a wave of white, shivering bubbles at Zeromus. But the foe only laughed again, as the pure power faded before touching him at all. 

 "One who follows a dark path cannot use the crystal to summon light!" he sneered. 

 "Damn!" Golbez snarled. 

 "Stones of hatred from the universe, bring your fury upon these insects!" 

    Hearing Zeromus call Golbez and FuSoYa desperately tried to stumble out of the way. But the burning rocks crashed down over them and they fell to the ground, lifeless. 

 'No…!' Kain thought, desperately, 'it can't end this way…' 

 "Suffer and die!" Zeromus screeched, "my hatred will destroy everything!" 

    (There goes the Void-thing again. Viva les Final Fantasy… author's stupid note.)    

    It was the end. It was just as when they had all been paralyzed by Golbez in the land of the dwarves, yet this time there wasn't going to be any friends coming to save the day. Everyone of their allies were stuck on Earth, and they wouldn't have been able to help anyway. Cid, the eccentric mechanic, Yang, who Kain never had a chance to know better… and Valvalis was dead, even if she had been able to help in any way. It was really the end this time, for Kain, for Cecil, for Rosa, Rydia, Edge, FuSoYa and Golbez. And judging from Zeromus' character, they were only the first ones. He was surely going to proceed to his own, sleeping people, and then go to the Earth to fulfill his work. Nothing and nobody could stop him now…

 'Kain.' 

    He startled at the careful, soft voice inside his head. 

 'Val… valis…?'  


	17. The final battle

~*~Chapter 17 For the love of a fiend~*~

Even Kain's mind was about to break down because of the pain. But suddenly, it didn't seem to matter. 

 'Kain, don't give up. Your and Cecil's friends are sending you their powers,' Valvalis' voice whispered inside of his burning brain, 'look!'

    He moved his head. Cecil had gotten to his feet, shaking and unsteady. But he stood, and he walked towards Zeromus. As the paladin reached his fallen brother, Golbez held up a shaking hand; the one holding the crystal. 

 "Golbez…" Cecil whispered with a hoarse voice. 

 "My brother…" the man in black stuttered, "take the crystal and entrust it with your power!" 

 "Yes."

    Cecil took the crystal, and Golbez' hand fell. The paladin turned to Zeromus and spoke: 

 "I am not defeated yet… Zeromus, this is the end!" 

 'Stand up, Kain!' Valvalis whispered. 

    He shivered, the dark magic had drawn most of his strength. But he rose up on his arms, moved his weight from the knees to the feet and stood up. 

 'I know you will win!' Valvalis smiled, encouraging. 

 'I won't let this devil be victorious, my love, I swear!' the dragoon silently growled. 

    Around him, Rosa, Rydia and Edge also got to their feet, gasping in pain but determined not to give up.

    Suddenly there were several half invisible figures standing between the warriors and Zeromus, facing Cecil. There were Yang, Cid, a young, blond man who Kain recalled from the now distant fight in Fabul, a small boy and a girl, apparently twins, dressed in Mysidian clothing, and that old man who had died as he had used Meteo in a fallen attempt to kill Golbez in the tower of Zot. They all smiled, yelling their own cheers: 

 "Don't give up! Concentrate and fight, we will lend you our power!" 

    Kain felt his strength return, and he reached for his glowing spear. 

 'I will give you all the power I can,' Valvalis softly whispered, 'and I wish you luck, Kain.'

 'I wish that we could have had a chance to know each other better, Valvalis…' the dragoon sadly thought. 

    Cecil raised the crystal, holding it in both his hands as the many illusions of the friends dissolved. 

 'I wish that as well,' Valvalis whispered, with a slight bitterness in her voice, 'and I hope that you can forgive me for what I did to you. I now give you my remaining strength, with the love for you that almost sent me to where you know are.' 

 'For my love for you… nothing you did in fear matter to me.' 

    The crystal in Cecil's hands exploded with pure bubbles of light, swarming towards Zeromus. He roared in rage as the sacred power hit him, and his body with all the tentacles cracked up. From out of it, as a hatching demon, an embodiment of every man's nightmare arose. It was so hideous it couldn't be described, but Kain grabbed his spear in both hands, determined not to let the fear bring him down. 

 "We fight for every living thing!" Cecil shouted and drew his glowing sword. 

 "Go! You must be brave!" FuSoYa yelled, somewhere behind Kain. 

    Edge smiled ironically and looked sideways at the grim Rydia. 

 "You have to admit that this being is uglier than me, sweetness," the prince of Eblan said. 

    The caller's determination split up in a short moment's smile. 

 "I give," she said, "you are handsome as a god in compare."

    Edge smiled broadly. 

 "Ah, those words fulfill my life, now it doesn't matter what happens here!" he said. 

    Rydia snorted, but she still smiled.

    Then both of them turned back into grim warriors, resolutely facing their foe, ready for battle. 

    Rosa's and Cecil's lips touched briefly. Kain knew what his friends were doing; if they shouldn't survive, at least they would have said farewell to the ones they loved.     

 'I love you, Valvalis,' he thought, 'I might be a fool, but I do.'

 'Both of us are fools in this love,' she replied, 'will you please fight for the memory of Rubicant as well, since he wanted to help me?'

 'For anyone you called a friend and meant it, my love.' 

 'I thank you. Good luck, Kain.' 

    Zeromus roared and charged, but a massive wave of mega flare from the dragon king Bahamut's mouth forced him to draw back a little. Kain jumped as Edge sent one of his old katanas flying through the air, burying it to the hilt in Zeromus' chest. 

 "All forces of good, send me your sacred power!" Rosa yelled, and Cecil rushed forwards, protected by the confusion the holy magic called White provided. 

    The paladin's sword cut deeply into what probably was Zeromus' stomach, while Kain's spear was buried into what theoretically was a back. The evil creature roared in pain and sent out wave after wave of dark power at its enemies, but Kain ignored it. He fought back the wish to succumb to the pain that the darkness sent through his body, and ripped out the spear. Green blood stained Zeromus' back and the holy weapon that Kain wielded. The dragoon jumped again, weary of Rydia's second call. Another powerful exploding stream from the dragon god hit Zeromus, and before he had recovered he had recieved several new, deep cuts from the three men's weapons. He screeched, trying to fight back his foes with both magic and his powerful arms, all in vain. 

 "Stones of hatred from the universe…!" 

 "Now, Cecil!" Kain shouted as he rushed downwards, barely avoiding the last meteor that had slammed into the demon on Rydia's call. 

    The paladin leaped, stabbing. There was a half-strangled _dump! to be heard from the inside of Zeromus. The sword and the spear had hit each other in the middle of the demon's body. But it still wasn't enough. The two warriors were sent flying in one direction each, clenching their weapons in tight grips. Edge rushed forwards, but a massive arm hit him. He flew backwards and would have fallen past the platform's edge, down into the depths of the planet, if Rydia hadn't gotten a grip of his hands and changed his flight. They both fell down, only a few feet from the plateau's end. Without hesitating both of them got to their feet, ready to continue the fight again. _

    Cecil had been temporary knocked out as Zeromus had hit him and now he was shaking his head, trying to stand up. The demon noticed this and turned to him, opening the enormous mouth and unveiling one foot long, sharp teeth. But before Zeromus could bite, Rosa had rushed over to Cecil and shot an arrow that hit the monster's throat. 

    Not even that killed Zeromus, yet he screeched in pain and charged forward. Cecil had managed to get up by then, though, and he ran out of the way, holding Rosa's hand in his. 

 "Everyone, _now!" the paladin shouted. _

    Rosa and Rydia closed their eyes, mumbling. Cecil grabbed the hilt of his sword in both hands for another powerful stab. Edge held a katana in each hand, ready to cut through anything. And Kain jumped. 

 "Bahamut, I conjure you!"

 "All forces of good…!"

    As the mega flare and the holiest of all magic hit the demon, Kain put all his weight into the spear, and Cecil leaped forward, followed by Edge. 

    The four weapons penetrated Zeromus' throat. 

    Every movement froze for one second. 

    Zeromus gave a loud, gurgling sound. 

    He began to fall into pieces, all of the loose parts dissolving as they left the falling, main body. 

    Kain hit the ground. 

    Zeromus was gone.   

    It was over. 

 'I have avenged you, Valvalis…' Kain thought. 

    But she didn't answer. Sadly, he guessed that she had given him all that was left of her to help him in the battle. 

 'Rest in peace, my love,' he thought, bitterly. 

    His first love hadn't loved him, and his second had died. Two times, even. He almost hoped that he would never find a third, since it seemed like he couldn't carry any warm feelings towards anyone without somebody getting hurt.  

 "You did it!" FuSoYa cheered, surprising them all in their exhaust by jumping wildly up and down despite his age. 

 "Yes, indeed," Golbez smiled. 

 "Now I can return to my people and continue to sleep for a while," the old lunarian said, "it's better that way. I want to thank you all for coming to our aid."

    He bowed, and then started walking towards the long stair rising from the platform.

 "Wait," Golbez said, "I want to come with you."

    FuSoYa turned around with a kind smile. 

 "But…" he began. 

    Golbez shook his head. 

 "I cannot return to Earth. Besides, I'd like to meet my own people."

 "Very well," FuSoYa said after a short hesitation, "but it will be a long sleep."

    Golbez nodded, and then turned around to look at the paladin and leader of the heroes. 

 "Cecil…" he slowly said, making one last attempt to ask for forgiveness and peace.

    But Cecil looked at the floor, his eyes filled with confusion and questions. Golbez sighed and began to follow FuSoYa up the stair. 

    Then suddenly Cecil straightened up, looking after the man in black and the bearded one. 

 "Brother…!" the paladin exclaimed, "farewell!"

    Golbez turned around, with a small, careful smile. 

 "Thank you, brother," he said. 

    Then he continued up the stair.  


	18. Epilogue

~*~Epilogue; Reunion on the mountain~*~

Kain stood on mount Ordeals and allowed the wind to bite his cheeks and move his hair as it wished. 

 "I'm sorry I won't be there on your wedding, Cecil," he said, silently, "but I need to be alone to make peace with what I have done." 

    In the middle of the night he had left Mysidia, where he and his friends had spent the night after returning to Earth. Without a word, he had gone away and left the others behind. He knew they'd understand. 

    However, he didn't know why he had gone to mount Ordeals. It had just felt right. This was a place for facing your sins and erase them. But he had no intention of becoming a paladin, and therefore the mountains were of no real use for him. Yet he had traveled here, maybe in despite of other options. 

    He looked at the forest growing below, the green ocean only held back by the vast chain of mountains by the horizon. It looked soft, peaceful. Not at all what he felt like. 

    Killing Zeromus and avenging Valvalis had only brought him a short peace of mind. Still his heart was bitter, and he could neither deny nor fight it. The pain was still there, and Kain was aware that maybe time only could heal it. Only time could smooth his bitter thoughts. 

    With a sigh, he put his helmet back on to keep the wind away from his face. It only reminded him of Valvalis. 

    There was no mending what had gone wrong, he couldn't have stopped her from fighting whatever he had said. She had been afraid of her master, and she hadn't been able to fight that back. Kain could understand her fear. Zemus had been a monster, and nobody could possibly have been able to fight him alone. It was the group's strength that had brought the victory. The dragoon tried hard not to imagine Valvalis desperately trying to defend herself against the power of the lunarian. 

    He turned around and started to walk over the cracked cliff. He really had no goal, though the top of the mountain seemed like a natural point. But that wasn't it. He had no business there whatsoever, really. Yet he walked upwards all the time. 

    There was a canyon ahead. Kain walked over to it and glanced down. It was deep, and pretty wide too. Cecil and his friends had been forced to take another way, for sure. But they couldn't jump like Kain either. He grinned a bit and took a few steps backwards. Just as he was about to start to run, he heard a loud screech and looked up. 

    It was a seagull. 

    So what? 

    On a mountain at least forty miles from the nearest ocean? 

    It screeched again, sounding exhausted. 

    People often scorned seagulls as ugly birds, but for Kain they had always meant the end of winter, the carriers of summer. They might be loud and not pretty like swallows, but they had the nerve and will to scream out that the warm season was approaching fast. They were strong, powerful birds. 

    But this one was very, very tired. It could hardly keep flying. 

    And with one last screech, it fell from the sky. 

    It was going to fall into the canyon. 

    Kain ran and jumped. 

    The small, white body landed safely in his hands, and his feet hit the other side of the deep crack. 

 "Don't worry," Kain whispered, suddenly breathing hard, "I've got you." 

    He raised his hands to the height of his face, carefully holding the saved animal. It looked straight back, and it didn't have the cold, sharp eyes of a bird. The white wings moved tiredly, the small head slowly rubbed against Kain's fingers. He dropped to his knees, staring at what he held. 

 "You…" he whispered, with a growing, soft smile, "you're alive!" 

    The seagull began to glow with a yellow, warm light, and it slowly started to grow. The small, bone-like legs became longer and thicker, the wings turned into arms. The beak changed into a nose and a mouth, long, blond hair flowed from the growing head. All of the feathers assembled to become a white-grey, short dress.   

 "I'm alive… love…" Valvalis whispered with an exhausted smile, "at least… sort of…" 

    Apparently the flight had drained all of her strength, but Kain could not stop himself from asking her to keep fighting a little longer. 

 "How?" he whispered, stroking her hair. 

 "Rubicant," she mumbled with fond bitterness in her voice, "as I was about to die… he used all of his remaining power to teleport me out of the giant… and I never had a chance to thank him…" 

 "He was an honorable man," Kain softly said. 

 "Yes… I must rest a while…"

 "I'll be right here, love. Sleep as long as you need to."

    She smiled tiredly and raised her hand to touch his by the helmet shadowed cheek. Then she closed her ice-blue eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber. 

    Kain stood up and carried her away from the canyon. The plateau he had landed on should be safe from the remaining zombies, so he decided it would be stupid to go anywhere else. To protect her against the cold wind, he carefully put Valvalis down behind one of the big rocks that laid here and there. 

    The cliffs weren't totally dead; there were moss and stubborn dwarf-spruces fighting for survival. Kain collected a few of the small trees that had been forced to give up and set a campfire since the sun was sinking. But before that, he rolled out his bedroll and placed Valvalis between the blankets. 

    Valvalis was not aware of any of this. As her body slept, recovering from the flight between Eblan and mount Ordeals, her mind tried to pick up the last pieces of her long lost memory. Zemus had robbed her of all the thoughts of her earlier life as she had become his prisoner and later minion. He had done so in order to control her easier, since she'd had a very strong mind. Even though she had fought him with all her might, the evil had become victorious. But now it was all returning to her, bit by bit. 

    Her family, her father who had been a warrior of the Dragon, as well as her brothers. Her mother had been a maiden of the Wind before she had fallen in love with Valvalis' father. Their names were still vague, but Valvalis knew she'd grasp them sooner or later. 

    It had been very long ago, very long. She didn't know how long, but it was surely a couple of centuries… Zemus had frozen her age to keep her strong.

    She had begun her magic training as a small girl, hoping to become a maiden of the Dragon, a female warrior with great skill in both weapons and magic. She had been a fast learner and grown to her great power, which had surprised many. There had been words about making her a warrior of the Great One, the finest of all titles. All because she could use the sky's magic better than anyone else, and could jump as high as any man. Her future had been bright. 

    Then the Darkness had come. 

    It was a mysterious creature wearing a cape, killing everyone it met. Undead monsters had followed its paths, making life a torment of fear for the living. Together with many other warriors, Valvalis had gone to fight this creature. 

    Of course it was Milon. He had been much stronger back then. 

    After a long battle Valvalis had been the only one standing, and her undead friends were attacking her as well as Milon's other "children". Valvalis had unleashed all the power she had in an attempt to kill all of the undead and the source of them. She hadn't won, no, that was the last thing she had done. The undead army had fallen, but so had she, while Milon still was standing. 

    He had taken a revenge worse than anything else; bringing Valvalis as a gift to his master. What had followed was a long and painful battle between the woman and Zemus, and she had fallen again, becoming his slave. Her mind had been so tightly bound that she had changed it herself to keep sane, becoming the monster her master wanted her to be. After Zemus had defeated her she had sought a way to free him totally, together with the other three fiends. 

    However, Zemus had found his own way. All he needed was for FuSoYa, who had bound him, to loose a bit of his bone hard focus. A little split concentration was all it would take to break free. So in order to turn the lunarian king's mind to something else, Zemus had sent his own mind to control one single human and bring him to power on Earth. 

    Valvalis had no idea who Golbez once had been. She had shared Milon, Kainazzo and Rubicant's disbelief and disgust as they were sent to Earth to play the servants of this puny human, but they obeyed since Zemus was their master. They had helped Golbez in any way they could, doing away with people standing in his way and replacing them to increase the controlled human's power. They had started to collect the crystals in order to awake the giant of Bab-Il, because that would shake FuSoYa gravely. 

    Everything had worked due to the plan. Then it had dawned on them that Cecil, dark knight of Baron, was the only other lunarian on Earth. Golbez brother. That could be a problem, if he was allowed to live.

    Kainazzo had made up the idea of having the dark knight go to Mist and take care of the summoners; Zemus knew the power of the espers and didn't want them meddling with his plans either. After that threat was gone, Cecil would be killed easily. 

    Valvalis had gotten the order to follow this other half-lunarian to Mist and make sure he didn't make any mistakes or turned around. It was then she had seen Kain for the first time, and he had made something scream inside of her, some lost memory wanted to escape its chains. Now she finally knew why. It was his ability to jump and his armor that had reminded her of her earlier life. "Dragoon" was just the developed title of "warrior of the Dragon". Valvalis had watched this puny human with growing fascination and brought him back to Baron alive as the last summoner had called upon the Titan. Then the fiend of Air had gone to Golbez, no, Zemus, and asked him to spare Kain's life. She had said that it was because he was a strong fighter, who could be useful. In reality she was confused and wanted to understand why she felt that way. 

    When she had seen him hanging on the wall in the cell, beaten and helpless, the memories had fought even more. He had reminded her of herself that time, as she had been bound by Zemus long ago. Of course she hadn't been aware of that then, she had only known a strange compassion. Somehow, she had liked the dragoon. 

    As he had called her a monster it had hurt her very deeply, and that had confused her even more. For many years she actually had believed she was a monster, but as Kain said so, she was hurt. Then he had said that she was beautiful, somebody gave her a kind (even if it was in twisted way) word for the first time in ages.  

    The confusion had grown and bent in fear for her master. Yet, as she saw Kain beg Golbez for mercy, it had shocked her. For a moment she had remembered how she had been enslaved. 

    And her master had confronted her, scaring her half to death. But she couldn't help that Kain somehow healed the one she really was, and that last surviving human part of her knew more than gratefulness towards the warrior. She couldn't help it, and definitely not fight it. Rubicant had tried, but she could not love him as he loved her. 

    As Kain had been able to break free, Valvalis had exploded because of her own pain. The dragoon had the nerve to almost send her to Zemus again, and he was even able to break free from his bounds. This twisted bitterness and jealousy had driven Valvalis into rage, and she had attacked. It had been hard to keep fighting as Kain begged her not to but she'd known that she wouldn't be forgiven if she stopped, and by then nothing else seemed to matter in any case. 

    One of the many things her powers allowed her was to hear when somebody thought of her, and what had passed through Kain's head as he had jumped to kill her had been a wild series of painful thoughts, a mess of things he wanted to scream  in despair… and a growing feeling he couldn't help. He had also begun to love, even at that early rate. 

    He had thought that he killed Valvalis, but he hadn't. Her body, yes, but her soul was given a new place almost immediately. Almost as if Zemus had known his minions needed to go through death and then get new bodies to become slightly stronger. He had prepared for such an occasion. 

    And then, in the giant… 

    Kain had been thinking of her, and that was what fought Golbez back in his attempt to enslave the dragoon's mind. Valvalis had been outraged for a while, scared that Zemus would know… 

    And he had asked her not to fight again. He had been all too right about Cecil's strength. But Rubicant had sent Valvalis away with his last powers, just before he died. He had loved her as well, and it hurt Valvalis that she hadn't been able to return his favor. He had been better than Kainazzo and Milon, but she had foolishly lost her heart to a just as foolish dragoon. 

    It was impossible, but it was true. Kain was the one she loved. 

 'I thank you for everything, Rubicant,' she thought even in her sleep, 'I owe you my life. Rest in peace, my friend.' 

    She had been very weak after the fight with Cecil, but had hid in the mountains of Eblan, meditating and sending her mind after Kain. To her amaze, he and his friends were really going to try their luck and skills against Zemus. Valvalis had given all the strength she dared to send to Kain to help him in the battle she had once lost. 

    And they had won. Kain, Cecil, Rosa, Edge and Rydia. They had done what seemed impossible. Zemus was dead, and Valvalis' mind could begin to break free completely. Soon it would all be back, and she would be herself again; the human woman who had been among the finest of Dragon warriors. (Allowing a small game with words here… author's note.)   

    She had followed the dragoon and his friends back from the moon and to Mysidia, even though her spirit had been weakened. As Kain had left the magic town and gone towards mount Ordeals, Valvalis had sent her mind back to her body and managed to turn herself into a seagull. Then she had flown as fast as she could, crossed the oceans, mountains and forests, just to reach the dragoon. He wasn't only the one she loved, he was also the only one she possibly could turn to. 

    Valvalis hoped that Kain would love her true self just as the fiend of Air. The only main difference would be that she no longer feared to love him. Everything could be perfect, at least she hoped so. She didn't want to hurt Kain in any way. He was the key to her freedom, he had helped her to become more human again. 

    She was still the fiend of Air, which was a problem. Even if she was weakened, that was who she was. That hadn't changed at Zemus dead. It meant that she wasn't completely human yet. 

    But that could be mended. 

    It had been forgotten, but once mount Ordeals hadn't been a place to only become a paladin and find the strongest of spells. It was a place where one could mend one's body completely, find the true self if it had been lost. The pure power here could turn her back into a true human. She'd go through any ordeal, face anything, to become what and who she had been all those years ago. Not only for her own sake, but also for Kain. He deserved better than a half-monster. Even if she risked to loose her magic powers. It was worth it.

    Valvalis opened her eyes and looked at Kain. He was sitting down by a campfire he had lit, for the moment deep within his own thoughts. The two moons were almost hid by the clouds above, but their light was still reflected by his armor that laid beside him. Now he only wore a simple shirt and pants, which the flames painted yellow and red. As Valvalis whispered his name, he looked up and smiled warmly, as she had secretly wished that he would do for a long time. 

 "Are you feeling any better?" he asked. 

 "Yes," Valvalis smiled back, "thank you."

    She sat up, pushing the warm blanket away. Then she stood and walked over to him, sitting down by his side. Carefully, he put his arm behind her shoulders, and she leaned against him, wrapping her own arms around him. 

 "We're both fools, aren't we?" she mumbled. 

 "Indeed, love," he whispered, "we are." 

    She would tell him about her life as a human, that she had been a dragoon, only with another title. She would tell him that she could become human again if she went to the top of the mountain. She would tell him everything he wanted to know. But not right now. For the moment it was enough to feel his warm arms and listen to his breathing, watching the fire and knowing that he loved her whoever she was. It was all she asked for right now. 

    And it was the only thing that Kain wanted too, watching her calm face. He turned his head and kissed her hair, as he once had wanted to kiss Rosa. But Rosa was happy with Cecil, and Kain was happy with Valvalis. She looked up at him and smiled warmly, and he held her tightly, determined not to let her leave him in any way again. 

The end. 

Author's note: 

    There's a sequel, which I personally find better than this one. It's called Rydia and Edge (Yes, I hate titles!). I'll start posting that soon. Chances are that when you read this it'll already be up ;)


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